Shizu and Akane hurries back to her house.... they didn't have time to talk just for a few minutes.
what is that Akane wanted to tell him? is it important..? he saw her expression on her face that she was serious...and she was sad too. did something bad happened to her 7 years ago? what did she "discovered"? why won't Akane tell him NOW?

they arrive at her house, and saw Jubei and the others outside, talking. "what happened?" said Shizu
"...here." said Kazuki, and hand him a paper, "i found this while you were away.."
Shizu reads the paper, "....at noon, at sunset, a French spy shall be beheaded for betraying and rebelling against her own country. this will be held at the Fort. this is a warning to those who dares to rebel against the French government......"

".....damn.." Shizu is pissed now... and crush the paper with his hand... that means Shogun is ALIVE.....

"Charlotte.." whispers Hoahmaru, "we have to go back for her."
"but this could be a trap." said Jubei
"that's true...it could be a trap.." whispers Galford, "Shogun seem to be more interested in killing you, kid. what the hell did you do to him?"
"...." Shizu doesn't want to answer that
"maybe...MAYBE HE'S JOKING!!! Shogun isn't like that, right, Shizu??! i mean, he is your friend. he wouldn't hurt Charlotte cuz she's also your friend too." smiles Rimururu, "Shogun is also like a teenager like us. he couldn't be that mean, right?"
"...." Shizu nods, "i don't think i know him anymore.."
"...." Rimururu is sad, then she falls on her knees, "[sad] Ms.Charlotte is going to be....executed, right?"
"......." Genjuro didn't say anything
[silence]
"let's do it." said Hoahmaru, and grab his weapon, "i'm going back. i'm going to save Charlotte."
"I'LL COME TO!!" smiles Galford
"[BARK]" Poppy barks
"count me in..!!!" smiles Kazuki
"....if there's fighting involved, i'll help ya weaklings out." said Genjuro, "..for now.."
"I WANT TO COME." said Akane
"no, Akane. you're STAYING HERE." said Jubei
"BUT...FATHER....!!"
"AKANE. NO MEANS NO." said Jubei, "it's too dangerous. you're fighting skills aren't strong enough yet... you're still weak."
"yes...that's true...but i'm 16, daddy! i can take care of myself...."
"NO." said Jubei, serious.
"YOU NEVER LET ME GO ANYWHERE..!!!" shouts Akane, very pissed off. then she ran inside the house..
"....[sighs] she just never understands. she's just too weak to go to battle.." whispers Jubei, then he turn to the others, "i'll go with you." "Shizumaru, you coming?" said Rimururu
"...." Shizu hesitates, "......it's none of my concern."
"!!! but that woman saved your life!!" freaks Kazuki
"i didn't ask her to do that for me." said Shizu, "..i have a mission to complete. goodbye."
then he walks away...
"SHIZUMARU..!!!" shouts Rimururu, "DAMNIT..!!"
"i guess it's only the 6 of us." said Galford
"it may be a trap if we go." said Jubei, "i heard of that Shogun guy..he's really tricky. and very good at fighting.."
"SO?? I DON'T CARE!!!! I HAVE TO SAVE HER!!!!" shouts Hoahmaru, "I'M GOING, I DON'T CARE IF IT'S A @#$% TRAP OR NOT..!!!"
"OK THEN LET'S GO!!! LET'S SAVE CHARLOTTE!!!" smiles Kazuki
"YEA!!!! LET'S GO!!!!!!!!!!" smiles Galford
"wait, hold up." said Hoahmaru
"??"
"i forgot my sake. let me get it first.."
.......
".............."

Later, Hoahmaru and the others head to the Fort. Rimururu looks at the sky, "it's almost sunset..."
"we're almost there." said Galford, "as long as we go straight in this path...we'll make it in time!! nothing can go wrong."
"ARE YOU SURE?" said a man voice
"????" they all stopped, and look around, "THAT VOICE..???"
"oh shit.." freaks Kazuki
"I'M UP HERE, YOU IDIOTS." said the man, standing on a tree branch. it's Sogetsu, "we meet again."
"SOGETSU....!!!" gasps Kazuki
"you thought u could escape from me, brother?" grins Sogetsu...

and jumps down from the tree...

he lands right in front of Rimururu, "hello, beauty."
"....!!" Rimururu is surprised
"WHAT DO U WANT, SOGETSU???!! WE HAVE TO SAVE SOMEONE..!!!" shouts Kazuki
"do i care?"
"HEY, ASSHOLE, WHOEVER YOU ARE. get outta the way it's important!!" said Hoahmaru
"if we don't make it to the Fort by sunset...Charlotte will be..." whispers Rimururu
"AWWW...I'M SO SORRY. BUT I CAN'T LET U DO THAT." said Sogetsu
"????!! YOU WORKING FOR SHOGUN???!!" freaks Kazuki
"Shogun? that punk? ha ha ha..." laughs Sogetsu, "i can't let you pass not cuz of that kid......cuz YOU'LL BE DEAD BEFORE YOU REACH YOUR FRIEND..!!!" and he take out his water katana......and attacks...!
[SLASH]
"ouch...!!!" Galford backs off, he got hit, "ASSHOLE..!!! GET HIM, POPPY!!!!" "[HOWLING]" Poppy growls and run toward Sogetsu.....
but missed....
Sogetsu makes a back flip, and whispers, "....GOD OF WATER. I SUMMON THEE. GIVE ME THE POWER TO EXTINGUISH THESE EVIL SPIRITS...!!!!"

"????" Hoahmaru and the others can feel the ground shaking...
[BOOM] [SPLASH]
in a sudden, tons of water burst out from the ground and HITS THEM...!!
trapping each of them inside the water....not able to breathe....not able to move....
they're TRAPPED inside the water...
Hoahmaru tries to move himself out of the water...but the pressure of the water is too strong.... he can't move...
he and his allies can't breathe...just choking in the water...
Sogetsu grins, "this is only a SMALL PART OF MY POWER!!! you haven't seen all yet!!" then he went up to Kazuki, "I'LL FINISH YOU FIRST.....THEN YOUR FRIENDS."
"....!!!!" Kazuki just stare at Sogetsu. he can't breathe, he can't talk, he can't move...just trapped.
Sogetsu pull out his water katana, "READY TO DIE, KAZUKI?????!!!"
".....!!"
"hmmmm..i'll take that as a YES." grins Sogetsu, and ready to stab Kazuki....!!!

[CLASH]
"OUCH.!!!!! DAMN..!!!" something hits Sogetsu's hand...and made him lose the katana...

the water begins to disappear......
"[BREATHING]" Hoahmaru and the others fall on their knees, trying to catch their breath....
"WHATTA..????!!" freaks Sogetsu.he saw what hit him.... it's a ninja star. he turn around...
"run if you don't want to die." said the ninja. it's Hanzo.
"..!!!! GGRRR...!!!! YOU'RE THAT STUPID HANZO..!!!" shouts Sogetsu, pissed off. he get his katana back, and attacks...!!!
....but missed? Hanzo disappeared.....
"huh? where he go?" Sogetsu is confused, then he look up, "[GASPS]" Hanzo falls from the sky, his sword in his hands...
and slashes...
[SLASH]
"..AAAAAAAAHHH..!!!!" Sogetsu got hit...! blood splatter everywhere. Hanzo makes a back flip...and lands safely.
"YOU ASSHOLE.. I HATE WATER!!!!" shouts Hoahmaru, and attacks.....
[SLASH]
"GET HIM POPPY!!!" shouts Galford
"[GROWL]" Poppy growls, and bite Sogetsu by the shoulder...!!
"AAAAHHHHH...DAMN MUTT..!!!!" shouts Sogetsu.
"....." Genjuro attacks with his sword....
[SLASH]
Sogetsu falls on the ground, injured..
Kazuki stands there, "you've been chasing after me for MORE than 7 years..."
"....and i will never give up.." whispers Sogetsu
"...!!" Kazuki is surprised
"KILL HIM, KAZUKI..!!" said Galford
"...." Kazuki stare at his brother, "...no."
"???"
"GO. RUN, SOGETSU. i don't want to kill you." said Kazuki
"..." Sogetsu stare at him, then he slowly walks away....
"KAZUKI..!!!" shouts Hoahmaru
Sogetsu turn around, "...i won't thank you for this. you should've killed me, Kazuki. but u didn't. you just give yourself another chance to DIE..." then he disappears..
"DAMN YOU...!!!!" shouts Galford
"...." Kazuki is sad, then he turn to Hanzo, "....Hanzo..you saved us."
"no need to thank me. i did you a favor, now you must do mine." said Hanzo
"what is it?" said Hoahmaru
"to find the prophet."
"THE PROPHET??? we're after him too..!!" said Galford
"we have the same goal, then. but my reason to find this prophet is much different from yours...." said Hanzo, "now, shall we go?"
"OH SHIT..!!! IT'S ALMOST SUNSET..!!!!!!" freaks Hoahmaru, "C'MON LET'S HURRY!!!!!"
they all run to the Fort.....


Chapter 12-----Force Your Way Through