"Wait, grandma?!" Yukio exclaimed.

That's right! Asuka's grandpa laughs the exact same way. So this lady is her grandma?

"This is your grandma, Asuka?" Yumi asked Asuka.

"Yeah." Asuka responded, then turned towards Sayuri. "You had me worried, Grandma. What are you doing here?"

"I'll explain that later, but it's got to do with all of you." Sayuri replied to her granddaughter.

"What does that mean?" Asuka asked

"Wait...is that-" Miyabi pointed towards Ryoki, and her eyes widened. "Impossible! I watched you die. How are you here?!"

"Hehe, I'm back." Ryoki replied.

"Everyone, our sister's back from the dead. Be nice to her." Ryona said, but Ryobi kept silent.

"Alright, now the festival can begin." Sayuri said, and suddenly changed the surroundings to a bright empty nighttime festival.

"Whoa, what the?!" Yukio was shocked from the sudden change in scenery.

"Welcome, young Shinobi." Sayuri announced. "Welcome to the Kagura Millennium Festival."

Kagura Millennium Festival? Kagura...does this festival have to do with that bratty goddess?

"What's the Kagura Millennium Festival?" Yumi asked.

"It's a special event. Where we call out to the Shinobi spirits that have died in vain, and help them pass on in peace." Sayuri explained.

"So dead Shinobi have come back to life here?" Asuka questioned.

"Correct." Sayuri answered.

"So that means they are ghosts, right?" Asuka wondered.

"You afraid of ghosts, Asuka? You're such a child." Homura insulted.

"I'm not scared of them. Are you, Homura?" Asuka countered.

"Eh? Of course not...ghosts are just people, people you can see through." Homura replied.

"Shinobi who have died in vain...that explains Ryoki." Miyabi added.

"So does that mean...grandfather as well..." Yumi trailed off.

"Wait, but why are we here then?" Yukio asked.

"Well, that's a good question, boy. Hmm, I wonder..." Sayuri replied.

"Did she just forget the reason? Asuka, I think your grandma is a little senile...well, she'll need someone to take care of her. I volunteer Yukio." Homura commented.

"Thanks for your concern, sweetie...but if you call me senile again, I'll stuff this wrinkly old foot down your hatch." Sayuri threatened.

"You'll shove it down my what?!" Homura exclaimed.

"I would be careful, Homura. Grandma was stronger than grandpa when she was a Shinobi." Asuka said.

"Wait, seriously?! Stronger than Hanzo?!" Homura exclaimed again.

"Wow, your grandma must be really amazing then." Yukio added.

"Indeed, sweetie. I was ranked Kagura before I retired, so that makes me an ex-Kagura ranked Shinobi." Sayuri boasted

"Be that as it may, I don't have time to spend time with an old lady. If we have no business, then we'll be on our way." Miyabi stated.

"I'm afraid that's impossible. Until the Kagura Millennium Festival is over, no one can leave this world." Sayuri replied.

Huh?

"Wait, this world? Where exactly are we?" Yukio asked.

"Isn't it obvious? It's a nice pleasant island." Sayuri replied. "I've laid all of the essentials; food, water, laundry, shelter, and a relaxation spot. Just relax, enjoy the festival, and don't worry about every little thing."

Well, that sure is suspicious.

"Hold up! You're not getting off the hook yet! When exactly does this 'festival' end?" Homura demanded an answer.

"Hehe, who knows?" Sayuri answered.

"Don't 'who knows' me! I have work tomorrow, and if I don't show up or call in, I'll get fired." Homura said.

Wait, Homura has a job?! How did that happen?!

Yukio heard footsteps heading in their direction, and a trio of unfamiliar girls in shrine maiden uniforms appeared before all of them.

"The hell are you talking about? Who gives a damn if you get fired!" The middle girl said. She had long brown hair that reached to her hips, with a cowlick in the shape of a lightning bolt, as well as brown eyes.

"A Shinobi worried about her 9-to-5? How pitiful...no, 'pitiful' doesn't even compare to this." The girl on the left said. She had dirty-blonde hair tied into shoulder-length pigtails, and purple eyes.

"Yeah, it sure doesn't." The final girl said. She had shoulder-length orange hair, and green eyes.

"Screw you! I follow through with every mission I take on! 9-to-5 or not." Homura cursed the three girls. "Who the hell are you guys?"

"These three young ladies are the Mikagura sisters. They are assisting me with the festival." Sayuri answered.

"The what sisters?" Yukio didn't recognize the name.

"Mikagura...I've heard of that name before." Yumi said. "They are a family of Shrine Maiden Shinobi."

"Thanks to their help, time passes differently in this world. the real world will be frozen in time for as long as you all are in this world." Sayuri explained. "So you won't be missing work, Homura."

They are able to freeze time in a different world like I do with Timer? Maybe I should ask if they know about my powers.

"I understand what's going on now, but still...why did you bring us here?" Yukio asked. "Did you want us to have an early summer vacation or something?"

"Now that sounds like fun." Homura added. "If time is frozen in the outside world, that means we can relax as much as we can."

"You're an idiot!" Sayuri shouted. "Shinobi don't take vacations! I brought you all here to perform the Shinobi Bon Dance."

"Ok...and what is that?" Yukio asked.

"All five groups. Hanzo, Crimson Squad, Hebijo, Gessen, and us, the overseers of the festival, must battle each other." The long brown haired Mikagura sister said with a wide grin.

"The rules are as followed, there are 81 festival platforms spread throughout the whole island. The number of platforms are split between the five teams. Protect your platforms, destroy the opponents' platforms. Is that simple enough for you?" The small pigtailed sister explained.

"Hold on, we never agreed to take part of this Shinobi Bon Dance. Why should we participate?" Yumi questioned.

"You want a reason, I'll give you one. The team who destroys the most platforms...opens up the road to Kagura." Sayuri replied.

"Kagura, the highest ranking, huh..." Miyabi thought out loud.

"Uh...what exactly is the 'road to Kagura'?" Yukio asked.

"You'll know in due time." Sayuri responded. "I expect everyone to fight until the last platform remains. So-"

"Wait, hold up." Yukio interrupted Sayuri. "The five groups are the individual schools, right? Does that mean I am with Hanzo or Gessen?" He asked.

"Oh, you are with neither, my boy. You are what's called the 'Wild Card'. The Wild Card is a part of every team as well as none of the teams. Meaning that you get to destroy any platform they like. However, the Wild Card can never win. I'm sorry, my boy." Sayuri explained then apologized.

Oh well, I don't really care about the 'Road to Kagura' anyway. Seems too much like a friendly training regimen though...where's the catch?

"I don't fully understand, but it looks like we have no choice in the matter." Yumi said.

"Alright, since we've got that out of the way now. How about we get this festival started!" The brown haired shrine maiden Shinobi said, as she ripped off the sleeves of her shrine maiden attire.

"Huh? We're fighting now?!" Yukio was caught off guard.

"Yeah! I am Renka, eldest of the Mikagura sisters. Now come on, give me everything you've got!" She said, as she summoned a pair of taiko drumsticks.

What the heck are those weapons? Why is she using what's basically long bamboo noodles as weapons?!

Renka created a Shinobi barrier that trapped only her and Yukio inside.

"Now then, let's see if you're going to be any good, Wild Card." Renka said, as she rushed towards Yukio.

Yukio foresaw a strike with one of her sticks, so he managed to dodge the attack. He went to kick Renka back, but she blocked it with her sticks and knocked Yukio back with one of them.

"Ugh! W-What t-the..." Yukio tried to move, but a shock was sent through his spine that prevented him from moving.

"Haha! Just one hit from my drumsticks was enough to paralyze you?! In that case, I'll continue to electrify you." Renka chuckled, as she rushed towards Yukio.

Come on, break free!

Yukio foresaw another attack, and he had enough strength to break through the paralysis, and he dodged the attack. He tried to kick Renka again, but she ducked under his attack. Yukio spun around, and landed a punch in Renka's stomach that pushed Renka backwards.

"Haha! Didn't feel a thing from that weak-ass punch." Renka made fun of Yukio.

"Erg...fine then." Yukio spawned his ballistic knifes.

"Hell yeah! That's what I wanna see! Don't let me down now." Renka taunted him.

Yukio fired off one of his knifes, and used it as a distraction to rush Renka. She blocked the knife with her sticks, and ducked underneath Yukio's slashes.

"Too slow." Renka taunted, as she swept Yukio's feet.

He fell to the ground, and foresaw another one of Renka's attack.

"Timer." Yukio said just as Renka's sticks were about to bash into Yukio's stomach. Time froze, and Yukio got back on his feet.

He ran around Renka, as he fired a multitude of knives aimed at her from every direction.

Heh, I should make this a 'Ninja Art' of my own. How about I name it 'Ballistic Barrage'?

Yukio touched one of the knifes, and time resumed. Renka's eyes widened as she noticed the knifes all around her.

"Secret Ninja Art, Violet Lightning Kai!" Renka spawned multiple drums around her. Whenever she would strike the drum, a bolt of lightning would crash to the ground. She banged the drums at rapid speed, which made lightning collide with the knifes, and stopped each one from reaching her.

Of course she would do something to counter the barrage.

When Renka's ninja art ended, Yukio rushed towards Renka, and slashed her side.

"Ugh! Now that's a damn good attack." Renka said, holding her side as blood leaked out of the wound.

"That's enough, Renka." Sayuri's voice echoed through the Shinobi barrier, as the barrier collapsed. "I think Yukio has proved his worth as a Wild Card."

The other two sisters tended to Renka's wound. Yukio turned to Sayuri, and gritted his teeth.

"The Wild Card is useless anyways!" Yukio stated, as everyone suddenly went silent.

I'm stuck with a pointless role, where it doesn't matter who wins or loses, nothing changes if I participate or not. What's the point of this anyway?!

"Look, I don't care about the prize of achieving the 'road to Kagura'. I don't care how useless my role is in this festival. Something's happening behind the scenes, and I'm gonna keep this festival going until I find out what's really happening!" Yukio announced with conviction as he pointed to Sayuri.

To be continued...