Chapter 31: Chapter 30 - Parting
After promising the girls once again he wouldn't take another wife, and telling them that training with Bashira would let them feel closer to their mother, the girls finally agreed to stay and train. They told him they would hurry up and finish learning senjutsu so they could return to be by his side.
Hina and Himari gave Ernie a kiss and a hug.
Nija could also accept training, but she declined as she said she knew her worth and had zero talent in anything. Bashira did not push her, but assured her it was also her fate to come here and they would meet again.
As for Ernie, he couldn't learn from Bashira. She told him there was something strange in his body and no matter how much he wanted to, he wouldn't be able to learn senjutsu.
It wasn't that he did not have talent for it, it was due to something blocking the natural energy from being absorbed in him.
With a general path laid out in front of him, Ernie set off in the direction Bashira told him. Tagging with him was Nija who could be considered untalented.
"I didn't know those were your wives."
Nija was the first to speak after traveling with Ernie for a while.
Ernie nodded.
"We aren't properly wed yet, but yes they are."
"My mother said men are prideful and lustful creatures, they'll never admit they are wrong and they always chase beautiful birds, even when they have one at home."
Ernie laughed.
"Your mother is a bit wise. You should be careful in the future and be sure not to get played by a man."
"Played by a man?"
Nija couldn't figure out what he meant by those words.
"It means don't let a person play with your feelings only to run off after they get what they want."
Ernie explained to her as if he was an old man with a vast amount of experience.
"Oh! My mother said when I meet the right man i'll know, until then I should stay pure of heart and work on myself."
"What is your mothers position on your clan anyways?"
Hearing Nija talk so much about her mother it has gotten Ernie curious.
Surely she couldn't be some old hag, but she must have experience with more than one man to tell her daughter all about this.
"Hmm… She was next in line for the position of the clan head but gave it up as she said it would not suit her. Although she passed the reins to my great-uncle, people still listen to her words. But, she doesn't hold any position in the clan."
Nija did not seem like the type of person to think much as she spoke. No matter what Ernie asked her, she told him. He did not understand how come she did not have any doubts about him or why he was asking so many questions.
She was honestly just like a pure child, one who probably did not believe in evil until what happened to her clan. Still, that did not seem to taint her pure heart.
Ernie stopped walking and Nija bumped into his back.
"Hey! Why did you stop all of a sudden?"
Placing his index finger on his lip, he signaled for her to hush.
He eased closer slowly and saw two men decked out in full black attire, both of them had the same markings on their face as Nija did. A young woman was hung from a tree with her hands tied. The young woman also had two thick green lines under her eyes and she resembled Nija just a bit. She had red markings in the shape of a cross on her naked body.
Nija gasped but Ernie quickly covered her mouth.
Both men turned in the direction Ernie and Nija were hiding but saw nothing and continued on.
One man started a fire while the other one started chanting.
Nija removed Ernie's had, and Ernie had to rub his hand on his sleeve due to Nija's saliva.
"That's my sister!"
Nija spoke in a hushed tone.
"Do you recognize those two men?"
Nija shook her head.
"But they look like they are apart of your clan. What exactly are they doing?"
Ernie asked as he watched them.
It looked like some sort of ritual, but he had no clue what it was for.
He did not destroy the totem at the lake as Bashira said she'll break it once he finishes off the men responsible for it. It would be pointless to alert the men and have them flee only to redo the barrier in another place.
Evil people like this needed to be dealt with.
"Stay here and don't move no matter what."
Ernie told Nija and she agreed.
Ernie threw five ice needles towards the man chanting as he rushed towards the one who started the fire.
Sensing danger, the man stopped chanting and summoned a wall of earth to block the ice needles. As he was blocking Ernie's sneak attack, he noticed his comrade block Ernie's kick with his forearm.
"Who is this child?"
He asked his comrade.
"It doesn't matter, he can become another sacrifice."
'They seem to be experienced, as neither of them are too worried about my attacks. Especially this man, he didn't even budge when I put all my strength into that kick.'
The two men darted towards Ernie and sent a series of attacks his way. Ernie dodged and countered when he could, but the synergy of these two men were causing him to be pushed back slightly.
He did a backflip as he dodged a kick and as his palms hit the ground a wall of ice emerged.
"Ice Sealing Jutsu: Ice Armor!"
Ernie was given a bit of time which he didn't waste, he quickly used a sealing jutsu to encase on man in ice so he could deal with the other one.
The one he sealed was the one who had the tough body, leaving the one who was chanting before left.
Ernie flew to the man as he held out his hand and an ice sword appeared.
"Earth Flow Spears!"
Thick spikes shot out from the ground stopping Ernie from going directly towards the man. Instead he landed on the tip of one of the spears and jumped to the next one until he was close to the man.
As he moved, his chakra enhanced his body and a blue glow gently flowed around him. Controlling his chakra he moved it to where it coated his ice sword and threw a flurry of swings towards the man.
There was still a distance between the two, but crescent arcs made of ice flew towards the man. After swinging his blade swiftly ten times he waited for the dust to settle.
He could see that the man tried to block the attack with an earth wall, but the wall was destroyed allowing Ernie's other attacks to hit the man. The mans arm was cut off and a portion of his leg was also gone. There was no way he'd be able to continue fighting so Ernie turned his attention to his partner who was still encased in ice.
Ernie walked over to him while the ice sword in his had dissipated.
"What are you planning to do with her?"
He questioned the man.
"Those who follow the believe in the shadow do not fear death!"
The man said with a villainous laugh.
"Shadow?"
"You will see when he comes, there is nothing you can do."
Ernie shook his head as his palm struck the man in the center of his forehead. After striking the man, his eyes rolled to the back of his head and his body went limp.
"I don't have time for fanatics."
Ernie looked over and saw Nija on top of the tree undoing the knot that held her sister.
"I told you to wait!"
Ernie shouted.
Nija stuck out her tongue towards him and continued to undo the knot.
Her sister almost fell to the ground but Ernie managed to catch her.
Nija's sister was tall and had a lot more weight on her than Ernie imagined, but once she was in his hands he laid her on the ground gently.
She was definitely a young adult as she had the curves to prove it.
"What's wrong with her?"
Nija asked as she climbed down from the tree and saw her sister was unconscious.
"I don't know, but she should wake up. We should go to your clan, Bashira should have noticed I dealt with these two so the barrier should be gone now."
Ernie told her.
"Wait!"
Nija shouted as she walked over to the man who had his arm cut off and part of his leg cut off. He was still conscious but barely, she took one of the man's kunai that was in a pouch at his side and started to cut off his black clothing.
Once she got enough of it, she used it as a blanket to cover her sister's body.
"There we go!"
Ernie laughed to himself, she didn't even bother with the man. It was as if he didn't exist. He threw an ice needle towards the man and let him die quickly instead of letting him bleed out.
He didn't know if they had some allies in the region so he did not want to take that chance. It's easier to kill him now than wait for him to come back later.
Picking up Nija's sister, Ernie headed towards the Uzu clan with Nija by his side.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone