The night sky was painted in deep indigo, clouds drifting like phantoms across a crescent moon. In the northern region of the continent, hidden behind steep canyons and dense forests, stood a massive stone fortress.
The Iron Fangs Fortress.
A bastion of shadows.
Home to one of the most feared mercenary groups in the western kingdoms.
At the crest of a cliff overlooking the compound, two silhouettes crouched silently.
One wore a custom black ANBU shinobi uniform with an ivory wolf mask—Jon Caesar, once known as Saji, now a ghost of the Academy.
Beside him was a tall, dark-haired boy with a scar over his right brow—Rio, Jon's closest friend and sworn brother.
---
Observation
Jon (calmly):
"Three sentries at the eastern gate. Two on the watchtowers. A magic barrier covers the inner sanctum. If the Guildmaster is here, he's inside."
Rio:
"You sure about this, Jon? We're walking into a den of killers."
Jon (eyes narrowing):
"They're not just mercenaries. They're slavers. And they've captured someone who once saved my life. I'm not walking away."
Rio grinned and pulled his hood up.
Rio:
"Then let's burn their den to the ground."
---
Infiltration Begins
With one hand sign, Jon vanished in a burst of smoke, reappearing silently behind the nearest watchtower. A single kunai—whistle of wind—one guard down.
Rio engaged two sentries near the outer wall with swift elemental swordplay, his blade glowing with lightning.
They moved like shadows—silent, precise, unstoppable.
Inside the fortress walls, chaos slowly began to build as the alarm was raised. Bells clanged.
Commander of the Iron Fangs, a brutish man with an obsidian battle axe, stood on the inner ramparts.
Commander:
"Who dares attack my fortress?!"
---
Within the Dungeons
Chained and weakened in the lowest cell was Guildmaster Eravon Kael, a former A-rank adventurer known for his command over wind magic. His body was bruised, but his spirit remained unbroken.
Suddenly, a blast echoed from the hallway. The guards outside his cell were taken down in seconds.
Jon stood in the torchlight, removing his mask.
Jon:
"Master Kael. I came to get you out."
The old adventurer looked up, surprised, then smiled despite his injuries.
Eravon:
"By the gods… Jon? You've changed."
Jon (smiling faintly):
"Yeah. I've had some time to grow."
---
Escape and Combat
As Jon broke Eravon's chains, Rio appeared, panting.
Rio:
"We've got a problem. That woman… she's here."
Jon's expression shifted.
Jon:
"You're sure?"
Rio:
"Same woman in crimson robes. The one who captured the Guildmaster."
The air turned cold.
From the far end of the hallway, a woman with scarlet eyes and flowing crimson robes stepped into view. Her long black hair floated unnaturally, and her presence distorted the very air.
???:
"So, the little bastard has come to play hero…"
She raised her hand—a surge of black fire erupted from her palm and raced toward them.
Jon didn't flinch. He stepped forward and activated his chakra-enhanced defensive seal—the flames split around him like a parted sea.
Jon (coldly):
"I don't know who you are, but if you stand between me and my comrades, I'll cut you down."
The woman smirked.
???:
"Then try, child of shadows."
---
Battle Unleashed
What followed was chaos. Crimson flames collided with Jon's chakra-infused jutsu. Rio engaged summoned shadow beasts with thunder-infused slashes, while Eravon lent what strength he had left with slicing gales of wind.
Jon's mask cracked during the battle. His left eye glowed faintly with a strange power—one that even he hadn't fully unlocked.
But before the fight could reach its end, the crimson woman vanished in a swirl of shadow magic, her voice echoing in the darkness.
???:
"This is not over, child. You've only delayed the inevitable…"
---
Escape and Reflection
With Eravon rescued, Jon, Rio, and the injured guildmaster escaped into the forest. Behind them, the Iron Fangs Fortress smoldered in flames.
They camped in the woods that night, quiet under the starlit sky.
Eravon looked over the two boys and chuckled weakly.
Eravon:
"Just like old times. You're both stronger than you know."
Jon, sitting on a rock, looked up at the moon, expression unreadable.
Jon (to himself):
"This is just the beginning. If she's connected to the shadows I've sensed… I need to be stronger. Strong enough to protect everyone I care about."