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Rio did the same with his tag and disappeared into thin air along with them, hoping that he would soon be in his home land.

Rio nodded at Rin-Tao's explanation. "The earth country was trying to expand its borders again. Just like in the 3 great ninja war when it tried to take over some of the fire country's lands."

Rio studied the monolith for a moment before speaking again. The war started before the Kadou region was the Kadou region. It was simply the lands of shadow, metal, light and wood still. The villages of shadow and light worked together like one village for the most part, but they were still held back by the fact that they were still each a part of different countries with different interests."

So the land of light was assualted by the land of earth. They were trying to get foothold to be able to reach the metal and shadow countries. Once they conquered those two countries, they planned on attacking the land of Light from all sides, leaving them the biggest country in the near world."

Rio paused for a moment before saying, "However, it was the ninjas of the hidden time village that saw the swift end to the war, a village that appears not but every decade before falling back in the folds of time, out of reach for another 10 years.

They took favor with the countries of the Kadou region partly because their village, when in our time and space, was centered in between the four lands, but they also seemed to see the potential for peace in us. They helped to bring about the pact of the Vortex, the treaty that brought out four countries together and allowed us to act as one, fluid region and people while still retaining our individual countries and cultures.

Shortly after the Kadou region turned it's full force on the earth country's invaders, obliterating their invasion force and leaving them to pull their broken army back to their village and solidified the Kadou region's borders.

Rio looked around before finishing, "This marker is left to remind the lands of Kadou it was together that we found safety and power, and as a warning to all countries that might think of invasion that we will defend our homeland with the might of all who still breath in our villages.

But this is not actually the Light country or the Earth country. It is a small strip of demilitarized land that runs along the border of the Kadou region on all sides. A small strip of natural beauty as well as a buffer between our lands and the lands that might try to invade."

Rio looked at the sun in the sky, then said, "The Light country is this way," and bounding of towards the direction he had indicated.

After traveling for about 5 hours on foot, Rio stopped short, holding up his fist to signal for Rin-Tao and Mai to do so as well. They had stopped in a field of tall grass that blew in the soft wind, giving it the visual effect of waves on an ocean.

"Hmm, I know I smelled her," Rio said to himself as he swiveled his head back and forth trying to find something.

In a flash, a woman with long black hair appeared behind Rio. She was dressed in a blue, red and black colored kimono like outfit, except that it seemed to be designed to allow fluid movement in battle. She also had a white fur pelt over her left shoulder with a fluffy top that blew about in the wind.

In one hand she held a scabbard and in the other she held a two sided, one handed sword with two dragon heads on the sides of the guard and a pommel with the likeness of Jashin carved into it. The sword was held near Rio's temple

"You're reaction's a little rusty Rio-kun," the woman said with a small chuckle, that sounded somewhat like a giggle as she sheathed the sword and placed the sword through a loop on her belt. "Though sensing that I was here was pretty good, I see you haven't been slacking too much? Course you are back early from konohagakure aren't you?"

"Kira-sama?" Rio said with surprise. "But I smelled...." Rio trailed off.

"Huh?" Kira said with a raised eyebrow before she pulled up one of her kimono suit's folds to take a sniff. "I don't...oh," Kira said after a moment. "You must be referring to Reena-san, I'm afraid not," said Kira with a smirk, "I had a meeting earlier today with Hikarugakure's council, Tao Hinode-chan has seat on the coucnil, her sent is very close to that of her daughter's, I must have tracked some of her smell on me I'm afraid."

Kira paused as she looked Mai and Rin-Tao. "So, I see you've brought friends...one from leaf...the other hides her village?" Kira said, pointing out Rin-Tao's lack of a head plate. "Anyway, where are you all going then?" Kira turned around and began wandering away, apparently expecting the others to follow.

"We need to speak to my father, it's very important that we get to him as fast as possible," Rio said. "It's about the Tenken, I need him to tell me everything."

At the word "Tenken" Kira stopped moving and froze before saying slowly, "The sword of heaven? Hmm, I suppose you would have heard it mentioned around your father..."

Kira turned around, looking a fair bit miffed. "What business do you have with Eiju's personal weapon? Even if he was your uncle, I hope you don't think that means you are entitled to anything, even he had to earn it, there are tests you know...." Kira stopped short before shaking her head before speaking again.

"I've said far to much in the presence of outsiders already," Kira said, indicating Mai and Rin-Tao with her hand. "The Tenken is a national treasure on top of being incredibly powerful. Not just anyone could have wielded such a creation anyway. If the Tenken is what you are after, if it was me, I would personally show you that you have no hope of finding the sword, and then escort our two friends here out of our territory. However, that decision falls to Onryou-kun, though I hope he has the good sense to do the same."

"As that is the situation, I suppose I should help you get where you are going." As she said that Kira pulled out her sword and placed her thumb on a spike at the top of the hilt, causing blood to run down a notched line in the blade and fill into a small summoning circle at the base of the sword's blade.

With a puff of smoke, two large white tigers, each the size of a bear, appeared and knelled for Kira.

Kira turned towards Rio and the girls and said, "Now, anything I should know before we leave....and, who are you two by the way?" Kira siad, interrupting herself with a puzzled look, as if the fact the Rio was with two complete strangers had just hit her.

"Ubusani...hm," Kira said as she rubbed her chin, "I'm not familiar with that clan name, but I would fair a guess that you are not from leaf or wind or any of the smaller countries that we have treaties with, as I would have come upon the name at some point."

"But that matters not at the moment, you two may take one of the summons, Rio, you ride with me."

Rio nodded and after Kira positioned herself on the larger of the two tigers, Rio got on as well. With a small pinched of her heel, the tiger leaped forward, showing a good deal of speed.

Sakurai looked distressed. He shook his head experimentally.

"I don't know what happened. All I know is that Ginshiko didn't deserve to die." He bit his lip, careful not to let anything unnessicary slip. "I thought that you people knew that I wasn't with Ifuuki-san. Isn't that why you rescued me and my frien- Where is Ion-kun?" He stated abruptly, as though he had just remembered why he was here.

Sakurai unconsciously clutched his chest. "Forgive me..." He replied, hesitantly. "I... I... I don't remember." He finished before moving turning away.

Sakurai didn't flinch at all, completely confident in his abilities. He walked away from Ganeni and over to Ion. "Hello," he raised his hand sheepishly. Shinji eyed Ganeni suspiciously, noticing the prominent motion of Sakurai separating from Ganeni without a word of thanks, almost immediately.

Sakurai gazed at Miki curiously. He could have sworn he'd seen her somewhere before. But his memory was so hazy, seeing as he was merging with Mokuhakai...