Flames

"Quick, quick, quick! Where are those stuck-up ninja? Get them to put out this damn fire already!"

Outside the Sato Clan estate, the newly appointed patrol commander shouted at the raging inferno before him.

"Sir! The brothers have all tried, but this fire is poisonous! We can't put it out!"

Behind the commander, a soot-covered patrolman in uniform shouted loudly.

"Bullshit!" The commander raised a brow. "Those ninja usually brag about how amazing they are and look down on us at every turn. Why are they tucking their tails between their legs the moment something happens?"

The patrolmen below exchanged looks, their faces troubled. You only dare say that in front of us. How could lowly soldiers like us possibly order around those ninja masters?

"There's no use talking to useless trash like you!"

Looking at the timid men behind him, the commander cursed, then raised his head toward the trees and rooftops on both sides. "Don't tell me you bastards are just standing there watching the show!"

"Hmph!"

The ninja who had gathered nearby snorted coldly at those words. One of them leaped down from a tree, cast a disdainful glance at the patrol, and said coldly, "Watch carefully!"

His hands flew through a series of seals. "Water Release: Water Wall!"

With a loud shout, surging waves poured from the ninja's mouth. After using the jutsu, he disdainfully glanced at the patrolmen again. Just as he was about to make a few mocking remarks, a cry of alarm behind him interrupted him.

"Look! The fire isn't showing any signs of going out!" someone cried.

"You lot aren't as capable as you imagined, are you? You can't even put out a fire!" The commander, who had been slightly stunned by the ninja spewing water from his mouth, looked at the flames still burning on the water's surface and sneered.

"You!" The ninja who had used the jutsu gritted his teeth, killing intent radiating from him as he stared at the commander. However, the battle-hardened commander was clearly not intimidated. Instead, he showed a disdainful smile.

"Enough, Huaizhong. Come back first. Let's discuss this," said a ninja standing on a rooftop, giving him a way out after seeing him silenced by the commander's words.

Huaizhong snorted coldly and, with a slight movement of his body, made several leaps onto the rooftop.

"Boss, what do we do now?" Seeing that he even dared to talk back to those high-and-mighty ninja, the men asked with wholehearted admiration.

"Wait," the commander replied irritably, sighing faintly as he watched the blazing flames.

Although he was part of the Daimyo's direct forces and did not fear retaliation from the ninja, the fact that they could only leave such unusual incidents to the other side still left him feeling deeply stifled.

"A special attack ninjutsu covering such a large area has to be at least an S-rank Fire Release technique. Does anyone know who the Sato Clan offended recently, for someone to strike so ruthlessly and wipe out their entire clan?"

The ninja surrounding the Sato Clan estate had gathered together, their expressions grave as they looked at the yellow flames burning atop the water. From time to time, sensory ninja closed their eyes, sensing for any suspicious movement nearby.

"Hiss!" One of the sensory ninja suddenly opened his eyes. Filled with confusion, he sucked in a breath as he looked at the blazing flames. "This fire..."

"What about this fire?"

A middle-aged man who had arrived at some point approached and asked. A belt bearing the character for fire was tied around his waist. The surrounding ninja immediately showed respect when they saw the symbol and stepped aside to clear a path.

"M-My lord!"

The ninja being questioned looked at the belt bearing the character for fire, a flicker of nervousness passing through his eyes. He clearly had not expected to see this man.

"Is that one of the legendary Twelve Guardian Ninja?" A ninja leaning off to one side quietly asked the person beside him.

"You can tell just by looking at that belt. I can't believe they were actually alerted!" one of the gathered ninja said softly.

"After all, an important noble clan has been wiped out. It is only natural for the Daimyo to send someone to investigate. Besides, this lord's arrival is a good thing. If we really end up fighting the arsonist, with just the people we have now, we truly wouldn't be confident!"

"That's true. Anyone capable of using a ninjutsu of this scale must be one of the famous figures in the Shinobi World. Good thing this lord came." The speaker's face was full of relief.

"Enough talking. He's coming over!" Seeing the Twelve Guardian Ninja glance in their direction, someone barked in a low voice.

"Tell me what you discovered."

The man wearing the belt bearing the character for fire glanced at the sensory ninja and asked in a deep voice.

"This fire... there is no chakra within it," the sensory ninja said, somewhat astonished.

"How is that possible!"

"Exactly! How could Water Release fail to extinguish it if there's no chakra in it?"

As soon as the sensory ninja finished speaking, the area instantly erupted, with voices of disbelief rising from every direction.

"Enough!" The ninja whom everyone respected, the one with the belt bearing the character for fire, frowned slightly. After sensing it for a moment, he said gravely, "There truly is no chakra within it."

As those words fell, the questioning voices around them instantly vanished. They could still voice some doubts when the sensory ninja had said it, but once one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja spoke those words, no one questioned it any further.

Looking at the Sato Clan estate before him, the Twelve Guardian Ninja who had come here furrowed his brow tightly. Even from so far away, he could feel such terrifying heat. It was easy to imagine that no one inside could have survived. He was now deeply troubled over how he would explain this to the Daimyo later.

Taking a deep breath, he looked at the burning flames and turned to issue orders to the ninja beside him. "Move all nearby residents to a safe place for the time being. Destroy anything around here that might allow the fire to spread."

"Yes!"

Numerous voices responded. The ground that had just been filled with figures was instantly emptied.

The sun set. The City of Fire, which should have been swallowed by darkness, was instead exceptionally bright. The blaze lit up half the starry sky, and City of Fire residents inside their homes looked toward the flames through their windows, murmuring among themselves.

"Ah! It looks like there's a fire up ahead!"

Standing atop the Tanaka Clan tower, Samu Kokaze pointed at the glow in the distance and shouted in feigned surprise.

"Let me see!" Tanaka Yoshikado, equally committed to the act, put on a shocked expression as well. After looking, he said, "That should be the area where the Sato Clan is located. How careless of them to let a fire break out."

Though it sounded as if he was trying to express some sympathy, it carried an unmistakable note of gloating.

"A fire?"

Guy, who had been wandering around elsewhere atop the tower, heard them and ran over. Looking at the flames that had dyed half the sky red, he clenched his fists slightly, his expression grave.

"Big Brother Guy," Samu Kokaze called softly.

"Ah, what is it?" Guy snapped back to his senses at the call beside him and looked down.

"Big Brother Guy, take some people over and help them. At a time like this, they need a powerful ninja like you."

Looking down at the earnest expression on Samu Kokaze's face, Guy smiled.

"Good kid!"

After thinking for a moment, he bit his finger, formed hand seals, and pressed his hands against the ground. A turtle instantly appeared amid a cloud of smoke.

"Ninja Turtle! I'm leaving Feng's safety to you!"

Looking at the Ninja Turtle that had appeared, Guy shouted, then leaped out through the window. Within a few breaths, he had vanished from sight.

"Hey!"

The Ninja Turtle had only just appeared and had not yet figured out what was happening when it saw Guy's departing figure. It could not help shouting.

"Eh!"

Seeing the talking Ninja Turtle, Samu Kokaze ran over curiously. He extended a finger to tease it. "I never thought animals could talk. This is my first time seeing a talking animal!"

"Hey! Kid!" The teased Ninja Turtle shook its head unhappily. It opened its pea-sized eyes as wide as it could, trying to look stern. "Are you the kid Guy told me to protect?"

"I'm not some kid!"

Rolling his eyes, he thumped his little fist against his **, then turned and walked downstairs.

"Hey! Kid, wait for me!"

The Ninja Turtle shouted anxiously behind him. Its four little legs moved so fast they nearly became blurs as it hurried after the two heading downstairs.