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BOTH HIDEKI AND I KNEW that we did not have much time to work with. If it was discovered that we had escaped, the Yin Clan would most certainly kill the Emperor before risking losing him to us. However, we knew it was unwise to rush into battle without making a plan, especially since we were vastly outnumbered. So we took a few minutes to come up with a strategy. It was certainly, a very daring strategy, and one that may very well fail, but our backs were up against the wall and we were out of options.
We split up and went two separate directions. Hideki was tending to his part of the plan, while I went in search of the Emperor. I was still without a weapon, so I had to move extremely carefully. I felt almost naked without my sword, but I reasoned that since we were so vastly outnumbered, a sword would do me little good anyway. I crept deeper into the caves until I finally came to a large open area. It was filled with crates and boxes that I can only assume were provisions that the Yin Clan had stolen from passing caravans. I didn't complain though because it gave me great cover as I moved through the room.
On the far side of the cave, with his hands tied over his head and against the rock wall, was Emperor Yangtze. He looked tired and extremely hungry, but it did not appear that he had suffered any forms of torture. There were a handful of ninjas prowling around his general vicinity, but no one was watching him directly. I was going to have to cut him free from the wall, but I had to make sure that I did so at the perfect time. Hideki was busy procuring us some horses at the moment and when he gave the signal, we were going to make a run for the exit, taking the Emperor with us. I also needed something to cut the Emperor's ropes with! This problem had a slightly easier solution. Using the skills I had perfected for so long as a thief on the streets of Ju-fi, I crept up quietly behind one of the ninjas and carefully plucked a shuriken from his belt. With this safely in hand, I found a safe place to hide and wait for Hideki.
I didn't have to wait very long. A loud commotion came echoing down the walls of the cave towards us, causing the Yin ninjas to jump up in alarm. They drew their swords and began to move quickly towards the mouth of the cave. This was my moment to act. I stood up and flicked my shuriken at the ropes that restrained Emperor Yangtze. My aim was true, and the Emperor was free! As the Yin ninjas were distracted I raced forward and grabbed the Emperor, throwing him over my shoulder. Seconds later, Hideki came sweeping into the large room within the cave. He was sitting atop a horse and pulling another one behind him. He had also found his sword and was using it to great effect, cutting down every ninja that approached.
“Quickly, Raz! We have no time!”
I leaped onto the second horse, pulling the Emperor up with me. Then, we turned and raced back towards the exit of the cave. Behind us, the entire Yin base had been alerted to our escape attempt and they were swarming towards us in fury.
“Hideki!” I shouted out. “We're never going to be able to outrun them! We don't even know where we're going!”
“We don't need to outrun them, we only need to get out of the cave!” was the response I received.
Seconds later, we did just that, bursting out into the night. To my shock, Hideki pulled his horse to a halt and turned to face the cave entrance.
“What are you doing??”
“It's called payback,” Hideki said grimly. Then he reached out a hand and grabbed a hold of a rope that was dangling in the air beside the mouth of the cave. Just as the Yin Clan was almost upon us, he yanked the rope hard. It was then that I saw what it was tied to. It was connected to the wooden beam the held up the entrance of the cave!
SNAP!!!!
When the rope was pulled the beam snapped and the entire roof of the cave came crashing down and a mountain of rocks and boulders swallowed the oncoming ninjas. Both me and Emperor Yangtze stared at Hideki in complete and utter shock.
“You see, Raz,” he said, with a wry smile creeping across his face. “If you fail to be observant of your surroundings, it is much easier for your opponent to lead you into a trap. And now that we have learned this little lesson, what do you say we get Emperor Yangtze back to safety?”
I nodded. This was the best idea I had heard all day!
Thank you for reading Diary Of A Wimpy Noob: Ninja Assassin
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