Both Mehatto and Cyrus stood silent after what Mehatto had said. It was true that they were both teachers, and Cyrus hadn't talked about why he chose to be a teacher in the first place.
"The books that you have been collecting are more important than your students?" Mehatto asked.
"I'm telling you. There is something about these books that connects with the Ancients. You never believed me, nor did you ever think about the possibility." Cyrus replied.
"Honestly, we could go back and forth in this conversation about who is wrong and who is right, but I know the real reason you chose to be a teacher," Mehatto said.
"You tell me." Cyrus dared him.
"It's because you've been trying to visit different schools to try and learn more about the Ancients sealed below. You think you can figure out the puzzle without me, but you are wrong. I've been following the gang members, and they are up to something, I assure you." Mehatto stated.
"Why are you so concerned about the gang members. My companions are doing their job perfectly fine." Cyrus argued back.
"The gang members are more dangerous now! Don't you see what they're doing? They brought cannons to the battlefield. What are you going to do the next time they attack? Run away again? Or maybe you will try to deflect their attacks with your cards?
As the argument grew more heated, it was clear that they were going to get into another fight. But then again, what was the point? Mehatto backed away and decided to call out that he was wrong. Perhaps Cyrus did have his reasons for keeping his secrets. He then turned back the way he arrived and waved bye without looking back. He was going to have to get back to his clan of ninja warriors to train them. His home was far away; it was a place that many could not visit, because not all clans were friendly. If you ever stumbled upon a dangerous clan, the chance of survival was close to none.
While walking back home, Mehatto continued to think about his encounter with Cyrus. Their rivalry was starting to show clear emotion between them. When he got home at last, Mehatto placed his weapons on a wooden rack and then started to change into his black Gi. It had shades of purple and armor pieces around it. Then he went over to the yard to see his students being trained by an older man. The older man was his father, who always taught his students all he knew about finding their path and spreading knowledge instead of keeping it for themselves.
Today, however, their training would be different. It was about learning as you fight. Not only learning about your opponent's way of fighting but also using your own to counter them. Each student grabbed a weapon of choice. Then they all ran to hide. Mehatto was given the order to find each of them and fight, but he knew not all of them would fight one-on-one. He ran after the students with wooden blades. Even the faintest sound made Mehatto turn. It was important not to underestimate a ninja. They were masters of deception at times. Once he found them, they turned around. They charged Mehatto from all sides. It was all of them at once. Mehatto dodged their attacks with ease and then hid behind a tree. Some students hiding in the trees spotted him and hinted to the others where he was hiding. They instantly charge, and Mehatto kicked down a large tree. The students fall back as they narrowly avoided it.
From all the dust that followed, Mehatto jumped, and this time he was wearing a ninja mask. He knocked some of the students back with a powerful kick and then hid behind another tree. The students entered a circle and decided to send one person as bait. A student spoke up and said he was willing to take it for the team. He slowly walked toward the tree to lure out Mehatto, but a large rock hit him on his head, and Mehatto appeared behind them.
"At this rate, the gang members are a big problem for you all." Mehatto spoke.
The students now raged, charging at Mehatto in unison, each attack a counter to his own, forcing Mehatto back. Multiple students surround him, and Mehatto searched for a way out. Finding one, he sprinted forward and evaded the students' attacks. As he ran away, the students started to follow, but then a mysterious figure appeared. It was a hooded man. Mehatto asked them who they were, but he ignored them and instead grabbed two of the students by their hands. Instantly, the student's eyes start to flicker, almost as if glitched, and then they charge at the other students and attack them.
Like a pack of wolves, the students charged at Mehatto. Mehatto had no choice but to go invisible. The last skill he wanted to use as a master class shinobi. The students look around, trying to find him, but when they realize he is not there, they focus on the man who controls them. Whatever he told the students to do, they would do. The most powerful form of attack was to control the soul of a being entirely. Since the students were young, they didn't know the least about how to break out of it.
Meanwhile, Mehatto ran back to tell his dad about what had transpired. His dad sat on his rusty chair, reading a newspaper. Demons? real demons. This is some masterful stuff. Mehatto barged through the front door and dropped to the floor.
"We got back news! The students were taken!" he announced.
Mehatto takes his father to the place where the students were last seen. There was no trace of where they could have gone, but it couldn't have been far, given the short amount of time they had been controlled.