My new teammates and I found ourselves in the academy training yard sitting under a tree near the back. Ko had taken us all here for our team introduction and now sat under the tree while the rest of us sat around him in the shade.
"Alright then," Ko smiled, "why don't we go around and introduce ourselves?"
"Why don't you start sensei," Zumo requested in an eager tone, guess he was really excited. Hm, didn't Sakura say the same thing? Odd, history is a strange thing indeed.
Ko nodded, "right. My name is Ko Hyuga, I'm part of the Hyuga clan and as such I possess the Byakugan dojutsu. I like reading and tea drinking ceremonies and my dream is to help raise my clan's children to become good people. I don't like people who are cruel and would like to be a good father one day."
I used my chakra sensory perk to scan him. From his chakra I could tell he was...soft, like a bird. Not a bad guy, but he had his claws as well. I smiled, I have to say, this chakra sensory thing really is useful.
I cleared my throat, "I'll go next then," I turned to my teams and gained no sign of disapproval. "My name is Yami, I'm an orphan. I like reading and writing and learn new things and my dream is to become a strong kick ass ninja in the future. I don't like people who act like morons and hurt other people for no reason and I suppose….yeah, that's it."
"Alright, me next," China raised her hand excitedly. Ko nodded allowing her to begin, "my name is China Mozen, I'm a civilian and my dream is to become Konoha's top female swordswoman! I liked melee weapons and other cool ninjutsu and ah," she blushed a little before stammering out, "I-I dislike people who are mean to others because of things they can't help."
Her chakra felt like...like soft iron, if treated properly it could be strong, if not it could rumble into dust. Ko smiled, "that's very nice of you. And lastly," he turned to Zumo.
The by grinned, "about time! My name is Zumo Sarutobi! I'm from the Sarutobi clan and am going to be the best ninja to ever come out of that clan! My dream is to be more famous that the third Hokage, my granduncle! I like cake and training and I hate snobby brats who think they're better than everyone else!"
He turned to me and sent me a glare that had me surprised, didn't realise he had a problem with me. His chakra felt hot and uncontrolled, like a cracker ready to blast off.
Ko nodded, "well...that was interesting," he clapped his hands, "now, let's begin."
China blinked, "begin what sensei? Our missions? I was told that won't happen for some time now."
"Oh no no no China, you see, technically, the three off you haven't actually become ninjas yet," Ko smiled.
"What?!" Zumo and China cried out in shock.
Ko nodded, "yes, you see, the academy test is simply to see if you even have the slightest chance of making it in the ninja world. We jonin instructor administer a second test and only by passing that do you actually qualify to become a ninja."
Ping!
Quest Alert!
Pass the secret test!
Rewards:
500 EXP
Allowed to perform mission for Konoha
Failure:
Permanent genin status.
Do you accept?
Y/N?
"W-what?! No way! I worked my butt off for the Academy tests! And now I have to take another one?!" Zumo grumbled as he hung his head.
As I pressed yes I had to suppress a snort, it's amusing how that simple thing they call a test was difficult for other people. I pushed my pride to the corner and got on my feet and patted the dust away, "alright, when do we begin sensei?"
Ko smiled, "I'm glad you are taking this in such stride Yami, tell me, where you not surprised to learn about the second test?"
I shook my head, "no, I knew about it."
"What? How?!" Zumo asked jumping on his feet.
I looked at him and shrugged, "I'm a ninja, intelligence gathering is literally in my job description. I also know the chunin qualifications exams and the jonin qualifications test."
"Woah! That's so cool Yami!" China said in surprise. Really? That was cool? Seriously? This is basic shit girl!
Ko blinked, "how did you find out about all that?"
I shrugged, "the chunin exams take place every two and half years in Konoha, so I know about that. And I learnt from an ex-ninja that a chunin can only become a jonin through an election from the council, the Hokage and the jonin commander. Or is they gain that position during combat."
Zumo huffed, "oh please, there's no way all that is real."
"Actually it is," Ko replied looking impressed, "that is very true Yami, you have done your homework I see."
China nodded, "Yami spends a lot of time reading, so he's bound to be smart!"
I blinked and turned to China….she was blushing a little, pupils dilated...her 35 REP rate...she has a fucking crush on me?! Damn it! I don't like fangirls! I see how Sasuke deals with them and, argh!
I reign in my emotions, I really hope I can work with her without her gushing all over me like a noob. I turned to Ko, "where are we going sensei?"
"Right, follow me," and with that Ko took off into the tree, running at a reasonably slow pace, allowing us to keep us. We ended up training field eleven, similar to seven, except this one had a small pond near the back with the dense signature leaves of Konoha surrounding it.
Ko landed in the center of the training field and we stood before him awaiting instructions. He pulled out two bells and displayed it to us, "the rules are simple. Fight me and get a bell. You have three hours, by the end, if you have a bell, you can stay."
China blinked, "but sensei, there are only two bells."
Ko smiled, "yes. Begin!"
I grabbed my teammates shoulders and dragged them back into the dense trees. "Hey! Let go off me!" Zumo tried to break free, but I refused to let him go, pulling him by his collar. I saw Ko smirk as he activated his Byakugan, damn, need to think of a way to fight that.
We ended up in a small clearing in the forest when I finally let them both go. Immediately Zumo turned to on, "what the hell do you think you're doing?!"
"He said begin, we need to make a plan," I told him as I frowned, how can I defeat an all seeing eye?
"And?! It's every man for himself!" Zumo cried out.
"Zumo-" China said in a weak voice.
"You plan on taking on a jonin? A man with more fighting experience in his pinky than the three of us put together...alone?" I asked in a very slow and mocking voice.
Zumo growled as he walked up to me, towering over me by a few inches, "do you think you're in charge? Do you pipsqueak?"
"Hey! Back off Zumo! He's just trying to help!" China pushed him back.
"Whatever, I don't need this," Zumo scoffed as he turned to walk away.
I sighed, "if you leave...you'll be nothing more than a loser...like the people in your clan think you are."
Zumo stopped, he slowly turned around, "what did you say?"
"I said, if you leave, you're a loser, just like everyone in your clan thinks you are," I walked up to him losing the distance until were were neck and neck, "but don't take it the wrong way, we're all losers here."
China blinked, "excuse me?"
I turned to her, I remembered everything I read in their bio's, about how Zuko felt ostriches inside his own clan, how China was dismissed for being a girl, and I put it to use. I pointed at myself, "clanless orphan," at Zumo, "black sheep of the clan," and then China, "a woman."
Zumo blinked, "that's not really the same."
I scoffed, "trust me, it is. Women have it tough, especially in the ninja world."
China slowly nodded, "he's right."
I turned to Zumo, "here's the thing Zumo, I hate losing, and more importantly, I hate being looked down on. I know you do as well, and China hates being seen as nothing more than a chick. We all are looked down on our entire lives, all of us, and being ninjas...it gives us the chance to be more, to be greater, to be our own legend. I don't have a last name, by being a ninja I'll earn one. You're clan looks at you like you aren't worth their time, prove them wrong, instead of saying, 'oh, he's from the Sarutobi clan' let people say, 'hey, isn't that Zumo's clan'? And if the only thing they see China as is a woman, then they will never see her blade. But we can't do that if we don't pass this test, right here and right now. And the only way we have a chance….is if we work together."
Zumo and China looked at me, blinking. Zumo gulped, "r-right...do you have a plan?"
Ping!
You have successfully motivated your teammates!
Ping!
A skill has leveled up!
Speaking skills, Lv- 15 (1%)
Your verbal ability to convince people to follow your lead or agree to your demands.
Chances of being successful- 40%
+10% for every positive REP score you have with target
-10 % for every negative REP score you have with target
+250% bonus into teamwork for Zumo
+550% bonus into teamwork for China
I grinned, "I think I have just the thing. We're dealing with a Hyuga, meaning we can expect him to rely heavily on his eyes and taijutsu. So, we focus on attacking mid range of long range. Do any of you know any jutsu like that?"
China shook her head, "no, sorry. I'm mainly into weapons."
"I know the great fireball jutsu and the flame bullet jutsu," Zumo said with a proud grin.
I groaned, "I see...oh! I got it!" I took out an empty scroll and took out my fuinjutsu set laying on the ground and drawing a seal on it that I quickly came up.
"You can make seals?" Zumo asked looking over my shoulder in interest.
"Yes," I replied.
"You any good?" he asked.
Ping!
You created a C rank seal!
Flash!
I grinned, "very," I rolled the finished scroll and got up, "this seal will create a bright flash of light so strong it should temporarily blind Ko-sensei. All you have to do is open it up, place the seal facing him and make a ram seal."
"Amazing," China said in wonder.
"Right, China, give me your hand," I said picking up the seal brush once more. I began drawing a seal on her palm, it quickly took the form of a tiger. I had worked on the tattoo I had gotten a long time ago from my first dungeon run. I had analysed it and figured the seal pattern out a long time ago and could now replicate it whenever I wanted.
When I was done China looked at it and blinked, "what is it?"
I grinned, "that is how we are going to pass this test. Now listen up, here's the plan."
With Ko:
'Hm, it's been half an hour, should I be worried?' Ko asked himself as he kept his byakugan active, looking around like a sentry, keeping watch. Just as he was about to go looking for his genin he stopped and smiled as Zumo appeared in the edge of his sight, walking towards him with a giant shuriken on his back and a kunai in each hand.
Ko was actually impressed by the genin's skills, sneaking around with something that big on one's back was quite a feet. Zumo stopped by the edge of the tree line and waited. It was ten minutes later when Ko finally had enough.
"You know I can see you yes? I am a Hyuga after all," Ko called out.
Zip!
Zumo threw two kunais at Ko, which the Hyuga easily dodged. Zumo then leaped out, throwing the giant shuriken on his back at the Hyuga, which sailed inches over his head, landing softly behind him.
"You're going to have to do better than that Zumo," Ko sighed, as the Sarutobi kid came right at him slipping into the jungle style, his clan's signature taijutsu style.
Ko easily blocked his strikes, sweeping away his kicks and hits, "so where are the others?"
"I don't need them," Zumo growled as he jumped back and threw three shurikens at Ko. The jonin was impressed at the speed, but nothing else. He easily slipped into the gentle fist style and caught each shuriken by looping a finger through the center hole before throwing it back at Zumo, twice as fast.
"Shit!" Zumo took a kunai out and knocked the kunai away.
"Too slow," Ko whispered into his ear as he suddenly appeared next to Zumo, hitting him in the gut, sending the Sarutobi kid flying back.
Zumo coughed as he got on his knees, holding his gut, Ko walking towards him lazily, "you know...I honestly expected more...I'm disappointed in you."
"Well, you shouldn't be," Zumo smirked as he twisted his body revealing a scroll on his tummy. He swirled it open, displaying a seal on it's surface. Ko blinked in confusion, he didn't recognize that seal. "Flash!" Zumo called out, shutting his eyes as he made the ram sign.
ZM!
"ARGH!" Ko called out as he closed his eyes, blinded by the sheer light that came out of the scroll. He held his head in pain, grumbling at the tactic, "clever."
"Then you'll love this! Fire release: Great Fireball jutsu!"
Ko smirked as he lept into the air, dodging the attack, "I may be blind, but my other sense are-"
"Wind release: Great Breakthrough!" Yami cried out.
Ko was shocked, he felt a rush of wind coming right at him, passing through the Great Fireball, the sheer power of the wind swept the fireball away from its intended path, deflecting it and heading straight for him.
"Shit!" Ko cried out as he performed a sealless substitution landing a few feet away. His eyes slowly began to recover as he noticed two blurs rushing at him, he got ready to fight when suddenly something pulled at his belt, pulled at the bells.
Ko turned downwards and found China there, one hand around the bells with the other's palm facing him, and on it was a seal in the shape of a tiger.
"Fire!" she cried out, causing a fireball to come point black at Ko. The Hyuuga was so busy escaping again he could do nothing to stop China from cutting the bells ropes with a kunai.
Ko landed near the lake, his eyesight slowly returning. His three genin students walked up to him, all smiling.
China held up the bells, smiling, "we did it!"
Yami smiled, "yup. We did."
With Yami:
I turned to Ko who blinked his blindness away, "you alright there sensei?"
Ko smiled as he straightened himself, "oh I'm fine...and I must say, I'm very impressed. You used Zumo to blind me and then came out of hiding...I suspect you moved into position the moment my focus was on him?"
Actually I just ran here really really fast, Chuunin level speed, but meh, not the time. I nodded, "yup."
"And then when Zumo blinded me with that...seal," Ko groaned, "you came out, luring me into your trap using the combination jutsu, brilliant move by the way-"
"Thank you," Zumo and I replied.
"-And then China here grabbed the bells," Ko said turning to a grinning China, "who then fired another fireball at me, forcing me to dodge or else risk getting burnt. I must say, every well thought out...and perfectly executed."
I grinned, "and we couldn't have done it without the other," I turned to Zumo and smiled. The Sarutobi kid blushed and looked away, I saw his REP go up to 10. Huh, cool.
"Although, I am curious, how did China get near me so quickly?" Ko asked, "I have read reports on Yami's speed, but China's is average, she couldn't have run all that way."
"I didn't have too," she grinned, "I was right under your nose the whole time."
"Oh? How-the giant shuriken," Ko realised as he looked around, finding no shuriken. He slowly smiled, "very clever. Using a henge, the oldest trick in the book."
I shrugged, "oh please, you knew the whole time. You were just pretending."
"Wait, what?!" Zumo asked with his jaw dropped.
"What are you saying Yami?" China asked in equal shock.
I sighed, "the Byakugan can see all, including a henge. Sensei knew it was you...he just didn't do anything about it."
"Is this true Ko sensei!" China asked turning to the Hyuga.
Ko smiled and chuckled, "observant as always Yami. Yes, that's true. I did know China was the shuriken, but I didn't know why. I wanted to see what you were planning...and that cost me the match."
"But wait, if you knew he would recognize China, why did you go through with the plan?!" Zumo asked me.
"Because getting the bells was never really the test," I stated, "the test...was to see if we could work together, as a team."
The two genins blinked as they turned to their jounin teacher. The Hyuga's smile was radiant at this point, "it seems I lucked out. Not only did I get a small genius but also a Sarutobi who's willing to bleed for his friends and a kouichi that actually knows how to fight. I truly am the luckiest jonin in the village."
"W-wait, does that mean we passed?!" China asked with a gasp.
Ko nodded, "yes, you all passed. As of this moment, we four are team eleven. Congratulations."
Ping!
Quest completed!
Pass the secret test!
Rewards:
500 EXP
Allowed to perform mission for Konoha
I smiled and swiped the box away as China cheered loudly "alright! This is cool! When can we begin doing missions?" she asked bouncing on her feet in excitement.
Ko chuckled, "why don't you all go home for tonight. Tomorrow met up here at 8 o'clock and we can begin doing our mission."
"Yes!" Zumo cried out, "I'm so excited!"
I sighed, "don't be, it's not worth it."
China and Zumo blinked turning to me. "Why do you say that Yami?" China asked.
I sighed, "because every genin team for the first six months perform nothing by D rank mission."
Zumo blinked, "isn't that a good thing?"
I sighed, "trust me...it's not."
Three months later:
"I HATE THIS!" Zumo threw his hands in the air as we walked to the Hokage tower, finishing out tenth mission of the month.
"I agree," I replied grumbling as I wiped the red paint off my leather armour, "I made this armour so that I wouldn't die from a kunai to the chest, not as a canvas."
"Why couldn't they just ask other people to do these damn chores!" China yelled rubbing her fingers, covered with red paint, "I hate this! We have done nothing but chores for the last three months!"
"Now now, don't think of them like that, think of them as team building exercises," Ko replied with a smile as he hurried us along into the tower.
For the past three months my life had been hell. I would start the day by six, going to training field eleven to train by myself. Then the rest would arrive by eight where Ko would begin training us. Nothing too advanced, just basic ninja tactics, signals and even battle formations.
And after than we would go out and perform chores, chores that sometimes lasted until 7 in the night. By then I would be so mentally exhausted I barely had any time for myself. I had to cook and the finally I had some time to write and continued to do so through the night.
Because of these I wasn't motivated at all to train in the dungeons in any way or form. Honestly, it was getting stale. I gained an average of 200 EXp for every mission. I did level up once, but that was it;
Yami, Little Professor
Level- 30 (400/15,800)
HP- 4,250/4,250 (+20)
SP- 2,050/2,050
CP- 2,400/2,400
CONTROL- 100%
FIRE- 100% WIND- 52%
Allegiance- Konoha Civilian
STR- 32
VIT- 46
DEX- 46
INT- 35 (+2)
CHA- 51
CC- 131
LUC- 26 (+5)
Points- 0
Meh, at least I had a 52% control rate going for wind. Two more times and I'm golden!
Anyway, I was running on a very short fuse, I was really trying to hold it together but...it felt like I was going to explode!
I sighed as we entered the hokage tower and entered the mission office where he and Mizuki sat with a huge bundle of scrolls next to them.
"Team eleven returning from mission," Ko said with his signature smile, pulling out a mission scroll and handing it to Mizuki who recorded the finished assignment.
Ping!
Quest completed!
Paint the house!
Rewards:
200 EXP
Oh fuck off!
"Excellent work," Sarutobi said with a smile as he looked at me then Zuko, "how have they been Ko?"
"Eagerly lord Hokage," Ko smiled, "I must say I lucked out with this team."
"Yes, I'm aware," he puffed his smoker looking at me, "now, what to give you next. Oh, we have a very nice mission here, grocery shopping for Mrs. Kimo, poor thing has a broken back and-"
"-I can't take this anymore!" I cried out startling everyone in the room. I slammed my hand on the table and growled, "if I have to waste my days painting fences and shopping for groceries I'm gonna fucking die! Please! Please for the love of God and everything that is good, give me a mission that doesn't make me want to kill myself! Please!"
Hokage blinked in surprise. Ko as well while Mizuki just chuckled. Ko cleared his throat, "Yami, that is no way to speak to the leader of your village."
"With all due respect Ko-sensei, our team's talent are being wasted on D ranks!"
The Hokage nodded, "that may be Yami, but these mission are necessary," he flashed a look at me, "can you tell me why?"
I sighed as I reeled in my anger and thought about it for a moment before sighing, "because it makes ninjas look like humans, not cold blooded murders and thieves."
The man smiled, "exactly. And we also wish to make sure that the young don't die that way, as you said when we first met, this is a profession when men die young. As such, until we know you're ready, we can't let you take anything higher than a D rank."
"Well how can we show we're ready if you don't give us a chance?" Zumo scoffed. The Hokage raised an eyebrow causing the boy to stammer out, "I-I apologize for speaking out of turn lord Hokage."
Sarutobi sighed, "it's fine Zumo, don't apologize for speaking your mind."
"Y-yes!"
"But he does raise a good point," the Hokage said chewing his pipe's wooden stick, "alright then, how about this. A test, if you can perform ten mission within a week I'll consider letting you go on a C rank mission."
I turned to Mizuki, "give us five."
The man blinked, he turned to the Hokage who shrugged. "Alright, but be careful little professor," Mizuki smiled as he gave us five scrolls. Shopping, gardening, catching Tora the cat, painting over graffiti and dog walking.
I turned to the team, Zumo and China looking just as determined as I was while Ko just sighed and shook his head.
"Alright team, let's do this!" I cried out, causing them to cheer along with me. We practically ran out of the tower leaving a sighing Ko and a chuckling Hokage behind.
"Do you really think they can do ten mission in a week?" Mizuki asked in surprise.
Sarutobi shrugged, "I see no reason or them not too. I'm sure they'll surprise us."
The next day:
It was seven in the morning and Mizuki was already in the mission assignment room going through some paperwork. Just then the doors slammed open, he looked up from and spotted us walking towards him. He blinked, "this is...unusual."
I was covered in paint, Zumo in scratches as he held a struggling Tora who had run away, again. China's fingers were covered in dirt and Ko looked like he didn't get any sleep.
I slammed the mission scrolls in front of Mizuki, "done! One C rank. Please!"
Mizuki, "didn't you leave with five mission yesterday?"
"They came back last night and demanded five more," said a very tired Ko.
"You really don't like waking up early do you sensei?" China smiled.
"It was three in the morning!"
"Grass doesn't cut itself," Zumo said as he put Tora inside a cage and slammed the door shut, "and stay in there this time!"
I stepped back and crossed my arms, "we finished the missions like you asked. C. Rank. Please."
Mizuki sighed, "give me a moment, I'll get the Hokage."
Five minutes later:
The old man looked through the mission scrolls and blinked. He looked at us and smiled, "well...I'm surprised. I didn't think you would form such a close bond so soon."
"We tend to agree when it comes to things we hate," China smiled.
"And apparently that include waking their teacher up at three in the morning," Ko grumbled. Yesh, he really wasn't a morning person huh?
"Well, either way, a promise is a promise," the man smiled as he pulled out a blue scroll, "a C rank, as promised."
"Yes!" we all cheered as one.
"Right, now, this is a simple escort mission to the land of tea. The customer is a long time friend of Konoha and has been using our services for years. He makes monthly trips from Konoha to the land of tea, trading. Are there any questions?"
Ping!
Quest Alert!
Ensure the cargo is delivered to the land of tea!
Reward:
+5000 EXP
Failure:
Banned from C rank missions for over a year.
Do you accept?
Y/N?
I raised my hand. The Hokage nodded and I spoke, "what kind of resistance can we expect? Bandits? Raiders?"
The old man smiled, "is there a difference between a bandit and a raider?"
"Yes. A raider will just take everything and run as fast as they could. A bandit will take everything, kill you, burn your caravan and then run as fast as they could."
Sarutobi chuckled, "no Yami, you won't face any raiders or bandits. This is a very safe route. But common thieves are still an issue. And the money is still very good. Now, are there any other questions?" there were none as I accepted the quest, "good. Ko, meet with the customer and set up your departure time. Dismissed."
"Yes lord Hokage," we replied as we quickly ran out.
"Alright, all of you pack enough for two weeks," Ko said as he opened the scroll and looked over the mission details before putting it away, "I know this trader, I'll talk to him and find out more. Met me at the training ground in two hours and I'll tell you when we will leave. Dismissed!"
"Yes sir!" we said as he leaped away, moving like a blur across rooftops.
"So what are we going to do for two hours?" Zumo asked.
"You heard Ko sensei," China spoke up, "we need to go pack up."
Zumo rolled his eyes, "we can do that whenever we want China! Besides, we don't even know when we're leaving so what's the point?"
I nodded, "agreed. We should celebrate, reward ourselves for a job well done. You two up for some ramen?"
China smiled, "yes Yami! Of course!"
Zumo shrugged, "you buying?"
I nodded, "yup. Come on, I know this great place just down the road." I guided them to Ichiraku's where we entered, "hey Ayame! I'm back honey!"
"Hey Yami!" Ayame called out from behind the counter.
"Yami!" Naruto, who was sitting eating what looked like his fifth bowl of ramen, turned to us and smiled, "fancy seeing you here! Don't you have a mission or something?"
"We got a break, decided to get lunch," I smiled as I sat down next to him. I turned to see my teammates looking cautiously at Naruto, China in particular looking very worried. I rolled my eyes, "relax, he's not going to prank you or something. Come, sit," I tapped the stool next to me.
China gulped as she nodded, sitting down next to me while Zumo sat down next to her. "Hello," Ayame said as she came up, "and who are these cute little genin?"
"I-I'm China Menzo, it's pleasure to meet you," China bowed a little.
"I'm Zumo Sarutobi," Zumo smiled at Ayame.
"They're my teammates," I explained, "we're on a break, figured they could use a nice meal. Plus seeing you always brightens up my day sweetie," I said with a wink.
China's eyes went wide while Ayame just rolled hers, "never going to happen Yami."
"But why? I am technically an adult you know," I winked pointing at my headband.
"Maybe in a decade or so hon," Ayame chuckled, "now, what will you have."
I sighed, "well, since I obviously can't have you, I guess I'll just settle for some chicken ramen," I turned to my teammates, "and you guys?"
Zumo shrugged, "miso is fine."
"And you China?" Ayame asked looking at the girl was a shocked stiff. Ayame blinked, "China? Are you okay?"
"Y-yes, I'm fine," China blinked out of her shock as she looked at me and Ayame, "I'll have pork please."
"Coming right up!" Ayame smiled getting to work.
"Yami," China called out.
I looked at her, "yeah? What's wrong?"
"Do you...do you like Ayame?" China asked, her words struggling to come out. I sighed, fan girls, what a pain.
I shook my head, "not in a romantic way no. She's just nice to be around, plus I've been flirting with her since the day I met her it's kind of hard to stop now."
"Awe, Yami, and here I was thinking you loved me!" Ayame chuckled.
I smiled, "you'll always have a place in my heart Ayame."
"Bah! Would you stop already, you're making me want to throw up!" Naruto scoffed.
I rolled my eyes, "you're just jealous because I have the guts to flirt with girls while you still can't even talk to Sakura without her punching you across the room."
"Hey! Just you watch! One day she'll say yes!"
Zumo snorted, "sure, that'll be the day. I bet even frogs will talk by then."
"Technically frogs can talk," I shrugged.
"What?" China asked in surprise.
"Yeah, toad summons can talk, didn't you know that?" I blinked. All three shocked their heads, "huh...just me then. Okay."
Lunch was spent quietly, though Naruto kept asking questions loudly that set my teammates on edge. But eventually they gave in and spoke to the boy like a normal human being.
An hour later we met up with Ko and he informed us to be ready to leave tomorrow morning at dawn. I got back home that night and told Naruto I won't be coming home for a few days, the kid just went on and on about how t wasn't fair I got to go cool mission while he was stuck here. Hehe, sucker.
I stayed up all night working on storage seals and managing my tools, just to ensure against any possible outcome. Then morning came and I ran to the gates, eager to leave the village for the first time ever.
I arrived their first and stood waiting for my teams mates to show up. At the ten minute mark Zumo showed up with a heavy looking backpack and an excited smile on his face, "morning Yami! You excited?"
I smiled and nodded, "you bet I am."
Zumo looked over my shoulder and frowned, "where is you bag? Didn't you pack anything?"
I pointed at a scroll on my thigh pouch, "storage seal," I put all my needed stuff inside the seal, since I obviously couldn't just use my inventory in front of people.
"Smart," Zumo sighed, "I wish I thought of that."
"I can make it for you is you want," I offered, taking out a spare scroll.
Zumo blinked, "really? You don't mind?"
"Not at all, besides, if you are held down by so much weight that might be a problem for us," I opened the scroll up revealing several kanji streams along the side, "put in on."
"Right," Zumo placed the heavy bag in the middle of the seal and after a small puff of smoke the bag was gone. I rolled the scroll up and gave it to him, "thanks, this is so much better."
I nodded, just then China arrived, running towards us with a smile, "good morning!"
"Hey China," Zumo smiled and waved, "packed all your stuff?"
China nodded pointing at the scroll on her back, "all in here. You two?"
"Same," I pointed at my scroll ad Zumo's.
"Ah, I see you're all here, good, we don't have to wait then," the three of us looked over and saw Ko walking towards us with an elderly man wearing a green kimono with a bald head and pencil mustache riding a horse.
Gemu Soru, Merchant of Tea
Lv- 12
REP- 0
"This is Gembu, he's our client," Ko introduced the man.
The bald man looked at us and raised an eyebrow, "this is your team? Aren't they...a bit young?"
Ko smiled, "I assure you, they are more than qualified for this mission."
"Hello, my name is China, it's a pleasure to met you," the girl bowed.
"Zumo Sarutobi, yo,"Zumo waved.
"Where's the cargo?" I asked, not bothering to introduce myself.
"It's with me, so technically speaking, I'm your cargo," Gembu huffed, "and aren't you going to introduce yourself?"
"As far as you need to know, I'm the man who is in charge of saving your hide," I pulled up my hood around my cowl and my face mask covering my head, "shall we get a move on then?"
Gembu snorted, "rude boy."
Ko smiled, "they are a handful. Alright team 11, assume kunai formation. I'll take the lead, China, you and Zumo stay on either side of the target and Yami bring the rear. We'll set a walking pace, remember, our client is only a civilian. Any questions?" there were none, "then move out!"
We walked out of the giant gates for the first time and...well, it was kind of disappointing. I totally expected something amazing and profound. I mean, this is the country of ninjas right? Sigh, well, I'm just happy the mission hasn't gone to shit just yet.
Two days later:
It was a boring two days. Filled with nothing but walking, not even running, walking. It was so boring halfway through I decided that I might as well get some training done. So I began practising my shuriken, throwing it at trees and retrieving them using chakra threads.
And then I began juggling the shurikens with my threads, just to see how well I could manipulate the items using chakra threads.
It was a slow few days.
But hey, at least I leveled it up!
Chakara thread, Lv- 28 (2%)
A concentrated thread of chakra that can be attached to manipulate certain objects.
CP cost- 3 CP per minute per 1 feet
Max length- 255 feet
Cool.
However finally, finally, we reached the edge of the border for the land of fire, arriving before a booth of some kind where a shinobi sat in waiting wearing a konoha vest, reading a book...wait...that's my book!
The man was reading Wonder Woman, and he quickly noticed us approaching him and got up to greet us. "Hello, mission, vacation or free movement?" he asked not bothering to look up from his book.
"Mission," Ko replied taking out his ninja ID card and presented it to the man who looked at it for a fraction of a second before returning it to him and looking at Gembu himself and nodding.
"Alright, escort mission to the land of Tea, move along," the man said waving us through.
We walked until we were passed earshot when Zumo spoke up, "what a lazy guy."
"Not really," Gembu huffed, "the land of Tea is famous for it's peaceful nature, the only reason Konoha even has a patrol booth is simply for census sake. The poor man probably had nothing else to do, one can forgive him for reading...especially if it is a Lee book."
The last part peaked my interest. "You a fan of Stan Lee?" I asked in my best neutral tone.
"A fan? No my boy, I'm an avid worshiper!" Gembu smiled as he laughed heartily, "the ideas he writes about, the idea of a world not ruled by chakra, but by the hearts of man. The idea of men and women brave enough to fight and die rather than cover in fear and let themselves be conquered, now that is a book I believe a lot people must read."
"Yeah, it's pretty cool!" China admitted, "I especially love Wonder Woman! She' my favorite!"
"Mine's Batman," Zumo smirked, "any guy who's brave enough and ballsy enough to take on a demigod like Superman is worth respecting."
"Plus I'm sure the pills of cash he has on hand isn't half bad," I chuckled.
"Damn straight!" Zumo smiled.
"It's just such a pity," Gembu sighed, "all this talk of Stan Lee but I haven't even seen the man. I so wish to meet him, at least once."
Irony is too gentle a word for this situation.
"Yeah, it sucks that he's so secretive about his identity," Zumo huffed, "if I was him I would be telling the whole world who I was!"
"Oh please as if someone like you could be Stan Lee," China huffed.
"Why you little-" and cue the playful fighting that his been the bane of this entire trip. Honestly, these two should just fuck and get it over with...wait, that was so wrong. Their 12! ARGH! What is wrong with me?!
I shock my head and sighed. "And you hood boy?" Gembu asked, calling me by the nickname he made for me since I refused to tell him my name. I'm sure he had later learnt it when Ko addressed me before, but I guess his pride was hurt.
"What about me?" I asked.
"Are you a fan of Lee's work?"
I nodded, "I like it a lot."
"Who is your favorite?"
I paused, thinking, before I spoke, "Clark Kent."
"Superman, ha, how cliche," Zumo snorted.
"I didn't say Superman Zumo, I said Clark Kent," I told him, "there is a difference."
"What do you mean? They're the same guy!"
I shock my head, "no, they aren't. Superman is the face of strength Clark Kent puts on when flying, when being their saviour. Any ninja can be a Superman, heck Tsunade herself has his strength and a few of his powers. But Clark Kent...he's the most human person on the planet. He cares, he cares so much...he fights and is willing to die for people who once rejected him, he cares...and for that alone, he's a greater hero than Superman will ever be."
They were silent at that observation. Gembu spoke the silence, "it would seem hood boy, that you are quite a fan of Lee's works. I don't think anyone has ever...analysed that hero so well."
I shrugged, "I get bored easily," plus I did write the damn character. Well,stole, but who cares about the little details?
We continued for some time after that, eventually reaching a town by the coast that looked onto the sea from the bay. Next to the town was a river that seemed to poor inwards, creating a significant division in the land. The town was called To, nothing too fancy, but it was a resting spot for us before we continued to Genbu's home.
We walked into town and immediately people began to stir, looking at us curiously as we walked inside. People didn't wear anything fancy, dull clothes, a few smiths and sailors from the title I'm seeing, but no fighters.
"Alright team, we'll be staying here for tonight," Ko explained stopping before a tavern called the Fish's eye that was the fanciest inn around. It had a dirty windows, people yelling loudly in the bar below and I think I heard a bottle breaking. Well...at least it had a fresh coat of paint, that's something.
We checked in quickly, Gembu got his own room while we of team 11 had to share. Ko set up watch detail, I volunteered to take the late night watch, since I didn't actually sleep.
That night:
My team and I walked behind Gembu as he walked into the tavern, licking his lips, "I must say I'm starving! Hadn't had a decent meal in days!"
Zumo snorted and whispered, "you just had a five servings of dumplings, what more could you need?"
Lucky Gembu didn't seem to hear him, but unfortunately Ko did. He sent a glare at Zumo shutting him up.
"Ah, there we go," Gembu said sitting down at the five person table before calling for a waitress, "my dear, please bring my companions and I your best meals," he slipped her a hundred ryo note, "oh and some of that high class sake if you have it."
The older woman smiled and bowed, "it'll be ready in a few moments, please be patient," and quickly went to the kitchen to get our order ready.
Ko sat down and motioned for us to do the same. The jonin and Gembu began to talk, making small chat about this village and how many times Genbu's been here. I ignored them, instead focusing on the people around me.
No one too bad, just a few sailors, carpenters and-whoa, what's this?
Saku, Pirate captain
Lv- 17
REP- -5
Pirates? Really? I looked at them, it looked like an entire crew was here, and they grumpy by the way the snapped at anyone who came too close, including the waitress. The captain was the highest level, pretty strong dude, but the others...well, they were kind of boring. Nothing too special, just levels tens and fifteens.
Our meal quickly came, it wasn't much, just some bread, soup, a single serving of fish, some rice and for Gembu, a bottle of sake.
"Let's dig in!" the man said happily eating his fill, stuffing his face.
I lowered my face mask and quickly ate as well, keeping one eye on the pirates. They seemed to eye Genbu's meal...no, no meal, his fingers. I turned to my employer and saw his fingers studded with gems.
Saku, the captain began to whisper something. Lucky for me my eavesdropping skill had a range of 35 feet, just within my range.
"We'll take those damn rings," the captain grumbled.
"But what about the ninjas?" another pirate asked.
"Three kids won't be a problem, but the big guy, I think he's a special ninja, maybe high class. I think he's a Hyuga..hm," just then the serving woman from before walked by and the captain called her, "miss, we were hoping, you think you can tell us what those ninjas are doing here?"
"Oh? And why would you care to know about that?"
"The lads and I were just worried. Ninjas usually means other ninjas are soon to follow, I'm just worried for my people you know?"
"Well you have nothing to worry about," the woman smiled, "that man has been coming here for years and not once have they caused problems. Though his snoring is an issue."
"Haha, yes, I suppose it would be difficult for the ninja to sleep with that noise."
"Oh no, the ninjas have their own room, thank god. I swear, that man is so loud I could hear it from down stairs!"
"Haha, thank you ma'am, that has really lightened our worries."
"It's my pleasure," and with that she walked away.
The captain turned to his men, "all right lads you heard her, the ninjas sleep alone. When it's dark we'll wait until he falls asleep, and then we'll hit them hard!"
I have to admit, I'm impressed, especially by the way he extracted information from the woman gaining exactly what he wanted to know. Smooth talker that one.
I looked at Ko and he nodded to me. I was surprised, I didn't realise he was also listening in, then again, I suppose that should be the least qualifications for a jonin.
He cleared his throat and spoke, "Yami, I was thinking, perhaps it's best if I take the night shift tonight. It's not healthy for a young child like yourself to stay up so long."
Ping!
Quest Alert!
Stop the pirates from stealing Gembu' rings!
Rewards:
+500 EXP
Failure:
Main mission get's an automatic fail
Do you accept?
Y/N?
"It's fine sensei, I got it," I replied accepting the missing. I quickly finished my fish and soup, munching on the loaf of bread, "it'll be easy, trust me."
Ko raised an eyebrow but nodded, "very well, if you insist."
By the end of dinner Gembu was shit faced drunk. Ko had to actually drag him to his room ad tuck him in. China did her best not to laugh loudly at the man's condition, especially when he began to sing songs about how much in love he was with a woman from his hometown.
China took first watch, she lasted till around midnight when she came and 'woke' me up. I got ready and walked out, as I did I noticed Ko get up from his bed, look at me and node. I sent a node back at him, I was ready.
I walked into the corridor and used the hotle key to open Genbu's door. I walked inside and climbed up the walls, pushing myself into a corner of the room and sat there, waiting.
"Snore!" the waitress was right, he did snore like a log. I waited an waited and waited. It was around one in the morning when I saw a ladder being placed on the other side of Genbu's window.
I'm guessing the pirate captain got Genbu's room number from the waitress. I heard whispers as the pirates climbed up the ladder. I saw Saku, the captain, reached the window and slowly pry it open with a knife.
"Quite! He's sleeping!" he whispered to his men shutting them down. He looked around, and blinked, "no ninja's! We're good!" He took one step in, and I moved.
I leaped off the wall and landed right before him, "boo!"
"Ah!" Saku cried as he leaped back in surprise, falling backward and falling three stories down, landing on his men.
I blurred through different hand seals before finishing them with the tiger seal, "fire release: flame bullet jutsu!" I spat out globs of fire down at the pirates, causing them all the panic and fall off, dropping the ladder in the process.
I fired a few close to their legs, but none of them reached, they were just warning shots. They yelled in panic as they ran away, screaming about crazy ninjas. I smiled and closed the window, that should keep them at bay.
Ping!
Quest completed!
Stop the pirates from stealing Gembu' rings!
Rewards:
+500 EXP
"What happened?" asked a drowsy Gembu as he looked around.
"It was just a bird Mr. Gembu, please, go back to sleep, I'll watch over you," I told him with a smile edging him back to bed. I then spent the rest of the night watching over him, only stopping at six when Zumo came to revile me.
When I walked into our room Ko was already awake. He looked up from the book he as reading and smiled, "good job."
"Kept an eye on me did you?" I asked already knowing the answer.
"The Byakugan has many uses, chief among them being the ability to keep track of your allies," he said with a smile.
"Did you sleep much?" I asked washing my face in the bathroom.
"I slept enough after you took care of those pirates. Good job on that by the way, I expected you to be more...deadly, I'm glad you showed restraint." I nodded, but didn't say anything.
We left at around ten that day, Gembu groaning in pain from his hangover while Zumo yawned a lot, guess he wasn't used to sleeping for so long.
But before I left I decided to leave a little something behind. Tucked within the floorboards of the room I used in the inn was one of my fanged daggers with the Flying Thunder God seal. It was just in case I ever need to place to crash, I know right now the chakra usage for such a trip could probably kill me, but just in case.
Around six in the evening we found ourselves coming down a particularly steep hill. We just passed a bend when Gembu stopped and smiled, "we are here."
Sitting across a river was a village built into the side of a mountain. It had light light up all along it's roads and up in the mountain I could see a shrine of some kind glowing brightly with people there celebrating something.
"Is is a festival?" China asked.
"Yes, it's call the festival of the leaves," Gembu smiled as he kicked his horse into motion, with us following behind, "you see, this land wasn't always called the land of tea. Once upon a time it was called the land of Crumbling stone. In the past, before the time of ninja villages, during the time of warring states, the people of this land used to be mighty warriors, wielding not swords or knives, but hammers and maces. Because, the monsters we fought were more...difficult to deal with."
"Monsters?" China asked sounding interested.
Gembu nodded, "yes, you see, these mountains you see before you were...well, they weren't ever really this small. They used to be huge, bigger than anything Kumo has now days. They were so big people often called this land the tallest peak. But you see, those mountains weren't just mountains, they were alive."
"Mountains that are alive?!" Zumo asked in awe, "that is so cool!"
Gembu nodded, "indeed. And they were very difficult to deal with. We called them the Stone Faced, for obvious reasons. And they kept constantly fighting with the natives of this land. My people were a migratory race, moving from place to place to avoid the giant stone monsters. We fought them by breaking them with our hammers and maces, hence the name, land of the crumbling stone."
"What happened?" I asked curiously.
"Well you see, eventually the fighting got bad, very bad. There were a lot of casualties on both sides. Until one day, the leader of the greatest tribe, prince Zimzim, offered a peace treaty. He met with the leaders of the mountains and offered him peace, peace in the form of tea."
"Tea?" China asked skeptically.
Gembu nodded, "yes, tea. Tea so perfect and potent it put even stone to sleep. You see Zimzim has tricked the stoneface, placing them all into a deep sleep and we built our villages on the surface of their backs. And every year we hold a festival where the shrine maiden will prepare this special potent tea and use it to keep the king of the mountains asleep, that festival is happening right now."
"So cool!" Zumo said with stars in his eyes. He turned to Ko, "hey sensei! Do you think we can see the festival? Please?! Please?!"
Ko smiled, "if that's what you want to do, then sure. What about you China? Are you interested as well?"
China nodded, "of course!"
"And you Yami?"
I groaned, "something doesn't make sense."
Gembu blinked, "what do you mean?"
"How did humans fight off mountains?" I asked, "it doesn't make any sense!"
Gembu chuckled, "well you see hood boy, the weapons my ancestors used were very very potent. Some called it them storm hammers as they allowed their wielders to use the very powers of nature. Similar to your jutsus in fact."
"So they were all made out of chakra metal?" I asked in surprise.
The man nodded, "yes, I belive so."
"Do any of them still exist?" China asked in thinly veiled curiosity.
"No, sadly all relics we have of our past had been lost," Gembu sighed, "you see, after the mountains had been put to rest Zimzim decided that our weapons were too dangerous to be had. The war of ninjas were at our door step, the only reason they hadn't come in yet was because of the mountains, and now that they were gone...well, back then power was everything and our storm hammers were legendary.
"So Zimzim ordered the destruction of every hammer and all records to make them anew. He changed the entire political landscape of the land, making it a land of peace, rather than a land of violence. For Zimzim truly believe that the only way anyone can be happy in this world, is if someone gave peace a chance."
I had to admit, that was a nice story. It actually made me excited for the festival as well.
We entered the town and went to Genbu's home, which was a nice looking shop in the richer part of town. Ko got the man to sign off on our mission scroll, officially completing our mission here.
Ping!
Quest completed!
Ensure the cargo is delivered to the land of tea!
Reward:
+5000 EXP
Not bad, only six thousand more EXP to go and I can then level up. "Alright now that that's done, can we please go to the festival?!" Zumo asked, practically begging.
Ko chuckled, "sure, come on kids," he said putting the scroll away safely in his vest before turning to Gembu and bowed, "thank you for relying on us, we hope to see you again soon."
Gembu smiled, "no, thank you. Oh, and if you are at all interested, I would suggest the tea houses in the temple, they are simply divine!"
I raised an eyebrow, really? The tea in the land of tea was good? Well one can only hope so.
Ko lead our little team towards the mountain temple. There was only one road leading up to it, and so we were surrounded by people dressed up in traditional clothes, going with friends, family or loved ones. Meaning we four, dressed in ninja gear and covered with dirt from the mission, stuck out like a sore thumb.
The temple wasn't that far up, it was quite manageable actually. I looked around, there were several stands all around, food stands, even games and the like.
"Come on! I want to try that game!" China said as she grabbed my arm and dragged me over.
"Okay okay, sheesh, calm down would you?" I smiled as she pulled me along with Ko and Zumo following right behind.
China stopped in front of a shooting range where they used bb guns to shoot down items off a self, "step right up! Try your luck! See if you can't hit a prize down!" the sales man cried out.
"I want a try!" China cried out pushing to the front with me right along side her.
"Alright then miss! That's ten ryo for five shots!"
China payed the man and received her bb gun. She shot five time, hitting and toppling down one snowglobe.
The man whistled, "nicely done miss! Sir, would you like to give it a shot?"
I shook my head, "no, I'm bad with guns."
"Oh come on Yami! Give it a shot!" China said as she received her snow globe, "see! I got a prize! You can get one too!"
I sighed, "fine," I gave the man ten ryu and took the gun. I aimed at the figures and searched for something I wanted. Seeing a packet of special tea up near the fifth shelf I aimed and fired, managing to take it down with my third pellet. The next two were useless as I tried to get a frog wallet which I figured Naruto would like.
"Here you go sir! Some of the best tea in this land! Show those people in Konoha how real tea is made," the man said with a laugh as people around him chuckled as well.
We took our prizes and left, by now Zumo and Ko had already gone and gotten something to eat, squid on a stick by the looks of things.
We walked around for some time, watching the stall, playing a few games. Zumo tried the shooting game as well but failed, badly He tried four times the poor kid. It go so bad Ko had to step in and help him shoot down the stuffed monkey toy he wanted, but hey, at least he was happy.
It was some time later when I noticed something, the people began to slowly move towards the shrine, growing curious Ko has us follow them and there on the top was a shrine that looked bigger than the Hyuuga compound.
The crowd however was too thick, we couldn't see past them. Ko tapped a villager's shoulder gaining his attention, "excuse me sir, but why is everyone gathered here?"
"Ninjas from Konoha huh? Well you see the annual tea ceremony is just about to begin," he said pointing at the shrine, "but for people like us we can't see shit, it's too bad really. I heard the shrine maiden this year is supposed to be really cute."
I turned to Ko, "sensei, for the sake of learning more about Konoha's close allies I suggest we try and find a better vantage point to see this shrine maiden."
Zumo snorted, "you just want to perve on the shrine maiden." China blushed at the suggestion while Ko chuckled.
I turned to Zumo, "I don't perv on women," China smiled, "I check them out. There's a difference."
"Yami!" China roared, her face turning red.
"Now now, no fighting," Ko quickly stepped in defusing the situation, "alright Yami, if you really want to see this then," he looked around spotting a tall tree in the back, "there, climb that tree. The rest of us will stay here."
"Right, will do," I saluted the man and ran off.
"And don't try to perve on her!" Zumo called out, laughing as China began to scold him for acting rudely.
I climbed the tree quickly without using chakra, don't want Ko knowing I can do that just yet. I looked around and for the first time realised just how crowded this thing is. It seemed like the whole village was here.
I looked around some more when suddenly the entire crowd became silent. The doors to the shrine opened up and out walked two older women, both around their forties. They walked out with tea making instruments and walked into the crowd.
The people split apart giving them way. They stopped before a well near the shrine whose mouth was sealed shut by a giant metal grate. One of the women took out a very old looking key and used it to unlock the metal bars and lift the grates open while the other set up the tea making tools.
And then, there was a gasp as another woman walked out of the shrine. The woman was dressed in a shrine maidens robes, she looked maybe 16, maybe younger. She had red hair with purple hued eyes. Her body was very mature for her age, even the baggy robes she wore could do little to hide her curvy figure.
I narrowed my eyes at her name;
Rias Uzumaki, Shrine maiden of the Gekara
Lv- 14
REp- 0
An Uzumaki? Well, I suppose that would explain the red hair. Hm, curious, is her sealing rich blood the reason why she is a shrine maiden tasked with keep a monster at bay? If there even is a monster in the first place, for all anyone knows the whole mountain monster thing could just be a story.
I saw Rias walked towards the well, the other women preparing a cushion before the tea ceremony station. Once their job was done they moved away letting Rias sit alone before the tea making instruments.
Her hands moved like water, one could almost feel the calmness of her movement influencing the tea. I closed my eyes and reached out with my chakra sensory perk, feeling the almost smoothing chakra she had within her heart. She wasn't just making tea, she was infusing it with her chakra! No wonder it's said to be potent!
She moved her hands like a water moving through a brooke before finally pouring the finally concoction into a cup. By now the people had all stopped moving the aroma of the tea reaching everyone's noses, making them all less agitated.
Rias stood up and walked towards the well, she was moments away when suddenly I felt a spike in chakra.
"Ko sensei!" I cried out, I was too far but he wasn't, they were closer to it than I was.
"I see it!" Ko replied as he leaped out of the crowd, stopping before the chakra spike which came roaring out of the woods in the form of a giant fireball.
"ARGH!" the people yelled as they all broke out of their trance, breaking into a panic and running away.
Ko's hands blurred through hand seals, "Earth release: Earth style wall!" a twenty foot earth wall came out of the ground before the fire ball, taking the full blast head on.
Ping!
Quest Alert!
Save the priestess!
Reward:
?
+8,000 EXP
Failure:
The destruction of the Land of Tea
Do you accept?
Y/N?
"Kya!" I heard a girl scream. I turned to see Rias being dragged away, her steaming tea thrown aside as five people dressed in black ninja garb dragged her away. I immediately pressed yes for the quest.
"Oh no you don't!" I cried out as I leaped out of the tree, landing on another tree branch and running along the tree lines as I rounded on their escape route. I reached them in moment, clearly I was faster.
I leaped off the tree branch and sent five kunais at them. "Ge down!" one of them yelled, Moko from the name floating above her head. She leaped forward and took out a kunai of her own, deflecting all five of mine.
I landed before them in a crouch and looked at their titles, all level 25, meaning they were trained, at least genin level. A few had the title 'Tea traitor' on their heads while other had 'wannabe ninja'.
I looked at Rias, the girl's tear stricken face widened in surprise seeing me, "don't worry princess, everything's going to be just fine."
Okay, genin level threat, be alert. I took out a kunai and opened my inventory as Moko stepped forward with her kunai, "I'll hold him off, you get her out of here!"
"R-right!" the man behind her nodded. Moko was the strongest one here, I'm guessing she's in charge.
"Oh no you don't!" I cried out throwing the kunai at the leaving ninjas only for Moko to deflect it with her own.
Moko smirked, "you need to do a lot better than that ki-" she stopped the moment I moved, reaching into her defences within seconds. I threw a punch at her head that she managed to clock with her forearm at the last moment.
I drew a fanged dagger out and used a reverse kunai grip to plunge it down on her. She displayed some skill, dodging the swipe, I looked over her shoulder, Rias was making some resistant, but they were getting away, I needed to hurry.
I moved backwards, surprising Moko, she was about to taunt me again when I tossed the dagger at her. She ducked, it sailed over her head. I then pulled on the chakra thread I had attached to it's handle, causing it to snap backwards, catching her in the shoulder before returning to me.
"Damn it!" Moko cursed as she held her shoulder in pain, "nice trick."
"Thanks, I hate fighting, so I decided to end things quickly," I put the fang back into its secret compartment in my armour and moved, intending to catch up to the others.
"Where do you think you're going kid? We aren't done yet-" she stopped, her eyes' going wide as she looked down, her limbs freezing, "w-what did you do to me?"
"The dagger was laced with a paralytic powder. Don't worry, you'll be fine in a few hours, but until then," I ignored her and jumped away, running after the other four 'ninjas'.
I ran and came upon all four of them currently fighting Zumo and China. Zumo was using his fist and kicks to take on the ninja holding Rias captive while China had a sword in each hand, swinging it expertly as she took on three of the kidnappers at once.
I moved, I needed to help China she wouldn't last very long. I got behind a kidnapper and stabbed him in the back, startling the man who didn't suspect a thing. He dropped like a bag of bones.
"Kibura!" the other two shouted as they turned their attention to me. The charged at me with their batons, I easily parried them before sending a kick that sweeped one off his feet and on the ground.
Dok!
Came the sound of metal hitting bone as China struck the last one behind the head knocking him unconscious. She panted, wiping the sweat off her brow and nodded at me, "thanks."
I motioned to Zumo, "we need to help him."
Zumo punched the guy in the teeth knocking him down before kneeing him in the groin. "I think he can handle himself," China said chuckling.
Zumo helped Rias up and the two walked towards us. The Sarutobi smiled, "you okay?"
I nodded, "I'm fine. There was another ninja a few clicks south, but I took care of her," I looked at Rias who looked shaken, "you're going to be alright priestess, you're safe now."
"H-help me," the ninja who I stabbed called out. I looked him over, he was shaking, shock most probably.
I kneeled down before him, "it's fine, I didn't get any vital organs," I pressed a cloth on his woud, "you'll live."
"Why did you save him?" Rias asked in wonder.
I shrugged, "I don't like killing if I can help it. Plus, it's not my place to be judge, jury and executioner. It's-everyone get down!"
I lunged at them, tackling them all to the ground just as a giant wind blast destroyed the tree behind us. I looked up leaped to my feet, kunai drawn, "that was a wind jutsu, we're dealing with a professional here! Stay alert!"
"I wouldn't say that," came a male voice who landed before us. He wore a black kimono with a red tea leaf emblazoned over his right breast coat. On his back was a giant war hammer the size of my head, and it flickered fire.
Buloba, Ninja of the crushing rock
Lv- 54
REP- -10
"He's high chunin level, be warned," I whispered to my team as I stepped between Buloba and Rias with China and Zumo flanking me. China had her swords out while Zumo had a kuna in each hand.
"So what are cute little leaf genins like you doing here?" the man asked with a sick smile, "come to save the sluty little priestess?"
"China, grab her and get out, find Ko sensei and get help," I whispered.
"But-"
"Do it!" Zumo hissed.
"R-right," she nodded as she grabbed Rias and turned to run.
But just then, Buloba appeared before them in a burst of speed so fast I couldn't even track it. "I don't think so," he said with a smile as he pressed a palm against China's chest, sending a pulse of chakra that blasted her off her feet.
"China!" I cried out, jumping to catch her. I quickly covered her body with chakra threads and pulled her close as we rolled along the ground.
"You bastard!" I looked up to see Sumo fight the man, but in moment Buloba had beaten Zumo, sending him flying across the air. I unwrapped myself from China's side and opened my inventory, grabbing five daggers in each hand, throwing them at him.
"You're waiting amo kid," he scoffed as he dodged the daggers easily, one nearly cutting his cheek.
"Bite me!" I roared as I charged him, three daggers in hand, slipping into my Disturbance style. He caught my first elbow swing, but had to move aside to dodge my axe kick. I tossed a dagger at his shoulder, forcing him to duck, which distracted him from my kick coming for his jaw.
"Oph!" he gasped as my heel got his jaw.
- 158 HP
Buloba- HP: 10,292/10,450
I turned to Rias who stood there looking at me with wide eyes, "run! Now!" She squeaked in surprise before doing exactly that.
Buloba moved aside, rubbing the blood leaking from his mouth and smirking, "my turn," he reached round and grabbed his hammer, bring it around and swinging it at me.
I moved aside, the hammer landing next to me in a thud. But just as I turned to him, he used the hammer's handle like a pole and swung at me, driving two legs into my gut pushing me back.
- 100 HP!
Yami- 4,150/4,250
'Shit!' I thought holding my stomach in pain, only he didn't give me any quarter, bringing the hammer down again, nearly crushing my head of I hadn't dodged in the last second.
I threw a dagger at his body, Buloba moved his hammer's handle to catch the dagger easily, "interesting dagger, where did you get it?"
I quickly moved through several hand seals, the man's eyes winded, he must have recognized them, "fire release: Spiral Flame jutsu!"
-15 CP
You gotta love the bonus I get for type mastrey, it's like I'm using no chakra at all!
The flames came out of my mouth like a cloak of flames that came at him like a raging tsunami. He easily dodged the attack, which was exactly what I wanted. To move that fast he had to let go of his warhammer, meaning he was now weaponless.
The flames stopped and sure enough his war hammer was left behind. I ran to it, my hands and head lowered underneath my extended boyd to block it from his line of sight.
"Oh no you don't!" Buloba said rushing back at his hammer. He grabbed it and smirked, "bet you thought you were pretty smart huh?"
I lifted my head, showing my hands completing another set of seals, his eye's widened, "no fucking way!"
One hand reached out and grabbed his plan, using chakra to stick my palm to his hand and my feet to the ground. My cheeks puffed as I burped out a giant gust of wind so strong it hit his chest like a bullet.
- 200 CP
'You're not the only one who can do the great breakthrough jutsu mother fucker!' I thought as I held my grip on his arm, and my standing on the ground. The wind pushed him back, his hammer flying from his grip and into a tree truck.
It finally became too much, his arm popped out of his socket, I held on, refusing to show mercy because he would kill me if I did.
-400 HP!
Buloba- HP: 9,892/10,450
He wasn't dead, not even close. When the jutsu finally ended he dropped down like a rag doll, but I knew he was faking. I was proven right when he swung at me with his left arm with a kunai inside.
I moved back, hands already moving through seals for another jutsus when suddenly a volley of kunai came raining down at Buloba.
The man managed to deflect them all with one arm, growling, "show yourself!"
Ko landed before me, taking up a defensive position, "Yami, are the others okay?"
I turned around to see Zumo helping China back on her feet, guess he really must have hurt her. "China has been hurt, Zumo is helping her out."
"Good, take her to the village fore treatment, I'll handle this," Ko said as his eyes turned cruel, his Byakugan activating, targeting Beluga.
"Do you need my help?" I asked looking over at China who winced in pain holding her gut, I growled, "I really want his head on a platter for hurting her."
"No, I'll take care of this, go," Ko ordered, all sense of lightness removed from his tone.
I nodded and ran away, reaching my teammates side quickly, "how is she?"
"I-I'm fine," she replied, "it's my fault, should have reacted faster."
I sighed, "don't blame yourself. Zumo, carry her, I'll be on gaurd, let's go."
"What about the creep?" Zumo asked looking over at Ko beginning his attack, fighting the man using the gentle fist style.
"You're within my range!" Ko called out, rushing at the man who could barely use two arms to fight, instead he relied on dodging and running away.
"I think he has this handled," I nodded as I turned to them, "come on."
Zumo nodded as he picked China up while I grabbed her swords. We ran around the battle, heading to the village. Just as we saw the light up head I noticed a path created in the forest by something heavy flying through it.
"Wait a second," I called out making Zumo stop.
"What is it?" he asked.
"That," I pointed at a tree truck that was smash apart into piece. On the other side was Bulova's hammer, resting on the round handle up, it's hammer head glowing red, burning the ground around it to ashes.
I walked up to it and lifted it up, it was heavy, very heavy. "Are you seriously going to take that with you?" Zumo asked.
"It's either that or let him get it back and use it against Ko-sensei," I told him as I sealed it into a storage scroll. We continued onwards, reaching the temple from before easily.
We entered into the ground and immediately were surrounded by guards dressed like samurais with their swords drawn and pointed at us.
"You there! Stop where you are and identify yourselves!" the leader of the guards called out.
"Stop!" Rias cried as she came running to us, stepping before us and the guards, throwing her arms out defensively, "they're the ones who saved me!"
"Yes, it's true," a village called out, "their sensei fought of twenty of these kidnappers saving all our lives! They're heroes!"
The captain glared at us, "then where are the real kidnappers?"
"Five of them are knocked out in the forest," I said, "our sensei is fighting their leader. But right now we need help, our friend has been badly injured!"
"Bring her into the shrine," Rias ordered, "we can help her there." Zumo and I looked at each other and nodded, with no other choice we took China into the shrine following Rias as we placed her in a medical room near the back.
Rias were joined by the two older women from before along with others, three older men and another red head that looked like she was Rias' mother.
"What happened to her?" the woman asked, her title made her out to be Chokio Uzumaki.
"She was hit by a focused chakra blast in her sternum," I explained, "point blank. I think something may have been broken."
"Right, Rias, let her bite you for a bit, we need to stabilize her," Chokio said as she moved to the cupboard removing several owls and packets of herbs.
"Right," Rias nodded as she lifted her sleeve showing off her arm to China, "you need to bite me." China blinked, "trust me."
"Do it China," I urged her, "her chakra heals people when they bite her."
China looked at me hesitantly and nodded, biting into Ria's forearm, making the redhead wince.
"How did you know about my chakra?" Rias asked turning to me, I could see Chokio and the others were curious as well.
"You're an Uzumaki correct?" I asked her.
She nodded, "yes, how did you know?"
I pointed at her hair, "when I saw you I thought you had the most beautiful red hair I have ever seen in the world. Of course you had to be an Uzumaki, what else could you be?"
Rias blushed, "I-I see," China grumbled as she glared at ias, biting down a little harder. Rias winced, "not so hard please." China grumbled as she loosened up but continuing to glare at her.
"Tell me ninja, how do you know so much about Uzumakis?" Chokio asked as she brought a green paste and placed it on the table. She then lifted China's dress revealing a blush bruise on her gut, "fractured ribs. Damn it."
Zumo and I turned around seeing China's modesty exposed. I spoke up while I stared at the walls of the healing room, "I have a friend who's like a brother to me in all but blood. He's an Uzumaki too. We recently figured out who his mother was, and in the process I learnt a few things about them."
Ping!
Lie successful!
It wasn't a lie...it's just that wasn't how I knew about the whole biting thing. But I can't just say, 'I saw it on TV' now can I?
"I see, and what was this woman's name?"
I smirked, "I'm sorry, but I don't think I can tell you that. Village secret you know. Apparently she was pretty famous, so...well you know."
"I see….was it Kushina?" she asked bluntly.
"And if it was?"
"If it was, then I would very much like to met this boy. There are so few Uzumakis left in this world...he's family. At the very least we should met once."
I shrugged, "I'll talk to him about it."
Just then the door opened and Ko rushed in, his hair a mess and a small cut on his arm. He looked down and sighed, "how is she?"
"A bruise, two broken ribs, but nothing too serious," Chokio replied, "Rias, that's enough, you can stop now."
"Yes mother," Rias replied as she stepped away from China.
"I think I'm feeling a lot better," China murmured.
"That's the chakra working inside you dear, you'll be fine in a few hours," Chokio said, "you boys can turn around now."
We did and immediately smiled at China. "How are you feeling China?" Zumo asked with a gently smile.
"Better. Thank you, both of you," she smiled at me.
I shrugged, "hey, he's the one who carried you. If you're going to give anyone a thank you kiss, it should be him."
"I-I don't think that's necessary," Zumo stammered out, inciting laughter from everyone that made China blush.
"Yami! Stop teasing!" China cried out.
"What? It's true isn't it?" I shrugged, "everyone knows the proper was to thank someone for saving your life is with a kiss."
"Yami!" Zumo cried out.
"It's true," Ko said with a teasing smile.
"Not you too sensei!" China grumbled.
"What happened to the made hammer dude?" I asked Ko as he stepped up, activating his Byakugan to check her for internal injuries.
"He managed to escape," Ko hissed, "he used some sort of rock jutsu to throw a boulder at me."
"Then you probably faced off against Buloba," came a familiar voice as Gembu walked in followed by a company of old men dressed in a similar robes.
"Elder Gembu," Chokio bowed along with everyone else in the room.
"Please, tend to the girl as you were," Gembu waved it off.
"Something tells me you aren't a simple merchant," Ko said with narrowed eyes, "what exactly is going on here?"
Gembu sighed, "it's complicated."
"One of my students is on the table injured and the other one was almost killed. Uncomplicate it for me."
"How dare you talk to the elder like that!" a young man standing behind the squad of old men cried out, "do you know who you're talking to?!"
"Yoshi! That's enough," Gembu glared at the man making hims shut up. Gembu sighed and turned to us, "you are correct, I am not an ordinary merchant. I'm also the elder of this village, my family has been helping run this place for hundreds of years, along with the temple who enact the annual tea ceremony."
"Who is this Buloba?" I asked, "why did he attack Red over there?" I pointed at Rias who blushed at the attention.
Gembu looked at Rias and chuckled, 'they get younger every year,' he muttered under his breath before speaking louder, "Buloba used be a ninja from our village. While we don't have the system the great nations do to churn out ninjas, we do have our own protection. Buloba was one of them, and he was a good man. But...he became...interested in the legend of the village."
"More like obsessed," another elder scoffed, "the boy believed that stonefaces were actually real! Can you believe that?! That fool killed ten people trying to prove his theory and when we caught him he killed ten more to make his escape!"
"And took along with him this village's most prized possession, the last warhammer of the Stone Crushers," Gembu sighed the mentioning of the hammer causing everyone to hang their head in shame, even Rias.
Zemo and I looked at each other. The Sarutobi grinned, "I guess it was a good thing you think ahead huh Yami?"
I nodded, "yup."
Ko raised an eyebrow, "something you want to share?"
I took out the storage scroll and unsealed the war hammer displaying ti before the elder who all became stunned silent, "here you go, one mythical war hammer, near mint condition, previously used by a douche so make sure you wash it before using it again."
Ping!
Quest Alert!
Save the priestess!
Reward:
A kiss
+8,000 EXP
I blinked at the first reward, a kiss? Seriously? Could this thing predict the future now?
Ping!
You have leveled up!
Yami, Little Professor
Level- 31 (300/15,800)
HP- 4,500/4,500 (+20)
SP- 2,175/2,175
CP- 2,550/2,550
CONTROL- 100%
FIRE- 100% WIND- 78%
Allegiance- Konoha Civilian
STR- 32
VIT- 46
DEX- 46
INT- 35 (+2)
CHA- 51
CC- 131
LUC- 26 (+5)
Points- 5
"Y-you found it!" Gembu cried out in surprise, "how?!"
Zemo shrugged, "we found it in the forest, figured it would be a good idea if he didn't get his hands on it again."
"Oh my God!" Gembu said as he took the hammer, barely managing to hold it. The elderly men and the priest and priestess all looking at the hammer in almost holy reverence.
"You have done us a great service!" Gembu said as he smiled at all of us, "please, let me repay you, this action mustn't go unrewarded! Spend a day here, let us show you our hospitality! Not only did you save our people from those ninjas but you also brought back this villages treasure! You must stay as our honoured guest! I insist!"
"Don't forget saving Rias," Chokio added, glaring at the fact that the man forgot about her daughter.
"Y-yes! Of course!"
"But why did he kidnap Rias in the first place?" Zemo asked, "what did he gain from it?"
"Well like we said, he was an avid believer in the tale of the strong crushers, and he believed that is the mountains woke up again then the Land of Tea would revert back to it's glory days of great might and power. With him leading us all."
I blinked, "so he kidnapped Rias, who is incharge of making the tea which keeps the king of the mountains asleep. So by stopping the ceremony he would curse the mountain to...holy shit! Did you guys actually finish the ceremony?!"
Zemo gasped, "oh no oh no oh no! We're all going to die!"
Gembu chuckled, "relax young ones, it is just a story. Why if missing a single ceremony means so much, then the mountain king would have awoken a long time ago. While this is tradition, we haven't been able to do it every year for the last thousand years you know."
I sighed, "oh thank God. I so was not in the mode to fight a mountain today."
Rias chuckled, "you have a very nice sense of humor..."
I smiled, "Yami, my name is Yami."
Rias blushed, "ri-right. I'm Rias, Rias Uzumaki...thank you for saving me," she bowed.
"It's fine, please don't bow," I said with a smile.
"Hey! We helped too you know!" China called out from the table before groaning in pain.
"Don't move too much," Chokio scolded.
Rias blushed, "y-yes, all did help but..." she looked at me and gulped, moving forward, leaning forward and pressing her soft lips against mine. My hands automatically went to her hips as hers rested on my shoulders. Oddly enough, the height diffrence was...not really an issue.
I blinked in shock as I stayed still as she slowly moved away. Everyone was silent, Gembu looking smug while Zumo's jaw dropped and China's face looked comical in shock. Even Ko looked surprised.
Ping!
You have gained a new skill!
Kissing, Lv- 1 (0%)
Your ability to please someone through a kiss.
10% satisfaction
+2 REP for the next ten minutes
I blinked, "was that for saving you?"
Rias nodded as she licked her lips, "isn't that the proper way to thank someone for saving your life?"
"No! It isn't!" China yelled out.
Rias blinked, "really? But you said...oh...that was a joke..."
I blinked before slowly a smile coming on my lips, "well, if it's any consolation….you have very soft lips...and a large-"
Thunk!
That was the sound of China throwing a metal bowl at my head. Sigh, fangirls.