It took us only a day and a half to reach the capital of the Land of fire. It was called Hono and it was beautiful.
When we came upon it for the first time I actually had to stop myself and gasp. It was like seeing an edo era painting come to life. Buildings built like an edo castle with rooftops reaching at least 20 stories high.
The walls were forty stories high and the gates made out of ironwood. We came upon the entrance and were halted by two guards, both dressed in samurai armor with blades at their side.
"Halt, what business do you have in Hono respected ninja of Konoha?" the gaurd asked.
Ko bowed a little, which we copied, he then spoke, "we are here on a mission for the nobel Socio, he has asked for Konoha's aide in protecting his daughter, we have answered that call."
The man asked to see the mission scroll which Ko produced. He looked it over once before allowing us inside.
The gates opened up to resolve a city so jam packed I thought people would be suffocating themselves, but there was more than enough space for everyone.
The entire city was built upon a hill, with the markets and other commercial builds built near the bottom and around the edges while the bigger houses, or rather castles if you wanted to be technical, rested on the top, with single laned roads being the only way to access them...or roof top.
The people move around, bustling in action. I saw a few ninjas here and there and even detected a couple of high level people hiding behind a few buildings keep an eye on things, but overall the city was amazing.
"Sensei!" Zumo said tugging Ko's hand, "can we try that place for lunch?!" he asked practically drooling as he pointed at a sushi bar.
Ko sighed, "I'm not that rich Zumo."
"Come on! It can't be more than a hundred ryo a plate!" Zumo begged.
Ko sighed, "you don't understand Zumo, you see in the capital, everything is expensive. A single plate there costs around two thousand ryo."
"WHAT?!" Zumo cried out, "that's expensive!"
Ko nodded, "yes, the capital is expensive, very expensive to live in. In fact, the higher you go, the more expensive everything gets. It's just the way it is around here."
Zumo cried, "no! My sushi!"
I chuckled, "come on Zumo, let's go. Maybe the nobel you're going to work for will have something for you to eat."
Begrudgingly Zumo nodded as we made out way up the road. Ko knew where we had to go, so he took the lead, taking us down a long winding road until we finally stopped before a giant set of gates, easily ten feet tall and a gaurd posted at the front armed with a naginata.
Ko gave him the mission scroll and was immediately allowed in. The inside was a japanese style building which was speard wide over. It had four different wings, North, South, East and West with the middle one over six stories tall.
I saw servants moving around from wing to wing, a koi pond near the back and a zen garden besides us as we walked along the stone lined path.
We were quickly greeted by a servant dressed in black armour, who looked very pissed at us. He had a cross shaped scar on his forehead with black hair greying at the temples and a thick beard around his mouth.
Gowa Haridischti, Guardsman
Lv- 25
REP- -10
Wow, he already hates us, that's a nice start. Ko approached the man and bowed, which we also did, "we are from Konoha, here to protect the daughter of the Socio family."
Gowa scoffed, "we ask for protection and they send us children?"
I raised an eyebrow and turned to Ko who just smiled, maining his calm demeanor, "I assure you, my students and I are more than qualified to protect your mistress."
Goaw scoffed, "we'll see about that. Your mission scroll ninja," he demanded. Ko gave it over and the man read it thoroughly. He then turned around and opened the door, "follow me. Master Socio is expecting you."
We walked in, the inside just as lavish as the outside. There were painting hanging on the wall along with various trophy like objects, a samurai mask, a ninja headband from Kumo and a painting that looked like it was made by a chimpanzee, meaning it probably costs over a million Ryo.
We walked into the main building and climbed up to the fourth floor stopping before a closed door. Gowa turned around and looked at us, "stay here," and then knocked, waiting for a moment for permission before entering.
The moment he left China grumbled, "what a fucking prick."
I snorted, "you realise he can still probably hear you right?"
China blushed, "w-what?"
"A protector of his caliber will most certainly be capable of at least that," Ko said with a node.
China's blush turned red, she was about say something when Gowa opened the door and looked at us, his eyes resting on China the longest, "you may enter."
We walked in as Gowa closed the door behind us. The office was lavish as well, the far wall covered with books, at least a thousand displayed proudly and not a spec of dust on them, either he really loves to read or he has a good maid.
"Ah, ninja of Konoha, welcome," sitting before us behind a lavish wooden table was a thin man with a goatee and almost blue like hair. His eyes were light brown and he wore large ornate white robes with blue highlights. His smile seemed nice enough and his face was aged, like he had lead a difficult life.
Dogino Socio, Adviser to the Daimyo
Lv- 18
REP- 20
Woah, 20 REP already? And that didn't include the any bonus!
Ko stepped forward and bowed, "we are at your disposal," we copied our sensei's movements to the letter. I have a feeling I'm going to have to bow a lot.
"Please, stand tall," Dogino nodded. He looked over our mission scroll before looking at our team, particularly China, Zumo and me. He sighed, "tell me jonin Hyuga, your team, are you sure they are up to the task I have asked for?"
Ko nodded, "I assure, my team is more than ready for anything that will be required of us."
Dogino sighed, "that may be true, but their age is still an issue." Okay, I don't like him. I need to impress him, but how? I looked around and immediately spotted another trophy on his wall, but this one was familiar, it was the Fourth's tri pronged kunai. Only this was… off.
I narrowed my eyes to studied it and apparently my lack of focus drew people's attention to me. I felt China elbow me, I turned to her and hissed, "what?"
She motioned over to Ko and Dogino, the former looking disappointed while the latter seem amused.
"I'm filled with confidence already sensei jonin," the man said in a mocking tone.
"I assure you, Yami isn't always so unfocused, we are more than up to the task," Ko said defending me.
Dogino sighed, "yes, you may believe that, but that doesn't change the fact that your ninjas are nothing more than children," he looked to me, "easily distracted children at that."
Okay, not that pisses me off. I stepped up, "I do apologize for that, really, I do," Ko seemed to motion me to step back, but I ignored him, "you see, the reason for that is simple," I pointed at the tri pronged kunai, "I had my attention on that."
"Ah, I see," Dogino smiled and nodded, "my greatest possession, the kunai of the Fourth Hokage. A treasure for sure. I payed quite a lot for that piece."
"You mean you were cheated out of a lot of money for that piece," I corrected him.
Dogino raised an eyebrow, "excuse me?"
I pointed at the kunai, "that kunai is a fake. A badly made one too. They didn't even put in the efforts to make it seem like the real piece."
Dogino snorted, "and how do you know this? Are you a seal master?"
"Kind of," I shrugged, the man rolled his eyes, "but I also have this," I opened my inventory and moved it inside my pocket and selected my tri pronged kunai, drawing it in such a way it seemed like it had been in my pocket the whole time. I held it before the man, "this is the real tri pronged kunai of the Fourth Hokage."
China and Zumo looked shell shocked while Ko just winded his eyes. Even Gowa looked a little startled, his hand going towards his katana.
Dogino blinked, he looked at my kunai and the one he had on display. Even a moron could tell that the seals were different. He looked at me and blinked, "and how can we know that the seals on your kunai are not the fake ones and mine being the genuine article?"
"Because I was given this kunai by the Third Hokage himself, not some shifty looking black market con artist," I twirled the kunai before putting it back into my inventory, seemingly like I sealed it away to everyone else.
"And why would the Third just give you such a valuable, if not historical article?" Dogino asked with a curious look in his eye.
"Because I gave him something much more precious," I told the man, "the cloak Minato Namikaze was wearing the night he died fighting the Kyuubi."
"What?! Where did you find it?! Was there anything else?!" he asked jumping to his feet.
I shrugged, "I just found it in the forests surrounding the village. There wasn't anything else of note," I looked at his disappointed face, "I hope this prove my team and I are more than qualified to protect your daughter. Sir."
I then stepped back, Ko gave me warning side way glance while China and Zumo looked like they had a hundred questions.
"If what you're saying is true then I have a to go see a man about ten million Ryo," Ogino grumbled, he looked at Ko and nodded, "very well, Gowa, show them to their quarters and give them anything they need to set up. You can meet my daughter tonight," and with that his dismissed us.
We bowed and walked out, I looked back to see the man open the case and look at the kauai, grumbling under his breath about some man named Samo.
We walked out and immediately China asked, "why didn't you tell us you had one of the Fourth's kunai?!"
I shrugged, "didn't seem relevant. It's just a good luck charm I carry around."
"You know Yami, since you're pretty good at seals, you can try and figure out how that thing works!" Zumo said with wide eyes, "you could be the second Flash!"
"Yeah right," Gowa snorted, "seals don't work that way kid. You can't just copy it down, you need to make it, from bottom up."
I nodded, "he's right," Zumo deflated hearing that, "but then again, I might just on day try and figure out how this thing works. So who knows."
"Be warned Yami, ninjutsu isn't a skill for the reckless, you need to be taught by a master," Ko warned, "I don't want you even attempting to do anything of the sort without telling, understand?"
I nodded, "I promise, I won't try to learn the Flying Thunder god jutsu without tell you first," I didn't mention that I already knew it. Hehe! Technically for the win! My promise seemed to calm Ko down. China took this chance to drill me about how I came to find the cloak, soon Zumo also gave out questions, but not before informing me how much I sucked for not telling them about my adventures.
Gowa lead up to the North wing where each of us got a room. Kind of lavish and useless, but whatever, as long as I don't have to hear Zumo's snoring I was happy.
I quickly unpacked and readied myself, loading my person with as many weapons and tools I would need, never know when an enemy will attack. I also put my hood up and my mask around my lower face, no need for the girl to feel like I'm a real person, might make her feel like she has to talk to me.
Ko called us all to his room and had us sit down and explained the mission details, "we will each take turns watching over the girl," he said showing a timetable for the day, with each of us taking 6 hour shifts.
"Zumo, your time will be from noon to six in the evening. Yami will watch over her from six till midnight where in I will relieve him. I'll keep watch until six in the morning and China, because she tends to wake up early, will keep watch from six to noon. We will also have training, I've asked Gowa permission to use the grounds behind the residential area. Training for Yami and Zumo will be from eight to eleven, China, I'll teach you after your shift ends. Any questions?"
I raised a hand, "what type of training?"
"Combat," Ko said with an almost sadistic smile. The three of us shivered at the word, combat meant taijutsu, and no one wants to face off against a Hyuga in a taijutsu spar. Lucky Ko allowed us to use ninjutsu, so that was something.
That evening we all walked into the main building and met with Gowa and his men. They gave us a rundown of the entire building's structure. We had five minutes to memories it before they burnt the map, no wonder the Hokage said these guys were paranoid.
After that we were brought into the dining room where we found Dogino sitting at the head of a twenty seater table with only one other person accompanying him.
Ko stopped a good ten feet away and stood at ease, a movement we copied. Immediately Dogino noticed us, "ah, good, right one time. Sweetheart, these are the ninjas I was telling you about."
The girl looked around our age, maybe a year older thanks to her height. She had her father's blue hair, only hers was brighter and put in a traditional knot. She wore spectacles covering a pair of doe brown eyes and a long kimono that covered her arms and legs.
She didn't have any curves, sadly, damn loli, immediately all hopes of me watching over a busty red head fell through...hm, maybe I should visit Rias some time. Yeah...wait, focus!
Moe Socio, Okuta
Lv- 9
REP- -10
Huh, okay, she hates us. Good to know.
Moe looked at us from her meal, her eyes landing on Ko first before gazing over us. She sighed and turned to her father, "father, this really isn't necessary. Gowa is more than capable of taking care of me, as he has been doing for all my life."
Gowa seemed to puff his chest up at this, smiling in victory. Dogino on the other hand sighed, "that may be true Moe, but they will be staying here, just for a little extra protection. I am going to be spending a five months with the Daimyo initiating a new trade deal with Kumo, and there are many...parties that wouldn't like to see such a deal happen. They are just a precaution, that is all."
Moe looked at us, narrowed her eyes at China before scoffing, "fine, if you insist."
The man nodded, "good," he turned to Ko, "I'm assuming you have made your own watch schedule?"
Ko nodded, "yes sir. I'll watch over her from midnight to early morning, likely when any assailant might target her. China," Ko motioned to her, "well keep watch after that followed by Zumo and then finally Yami," he pointed at each of us in turn. "I hope that is satisfactory."
Dogino waved Ko's worry away, "that's fine," his eyes then settled on me, "and as for you young man, I have to say, I was skeptical, but your claim was true. I had a seal master brought in to see the kunai, it was a fake. Thank you for that."
I bowed, "you are welcome sir."
Dogino nodded, "right, everyone leave, I need a moment alone with my daughter." We all bowed and left. Ko and the other's went back to their rooms while I stayed behind, it was after all 8 in the evening.
I stayed by the door and waited, and soon Moe walked out, surrounded by two of Goa's guards. She looked at me and raised an eyebrow, "so your first huh?"
I nodded, "yes. How would you like me to address you? Ms. Socio or madam?"
Moe scoffed, "whatever," she turned and walked away, her guards snorting in laughter as they followed her. I sighed as I followed them. We came upon the East wing, where the entire second floor was just for her.
The guards opened the double door for her as she walked in. I made to move inside as well when she held up a hand, "where do you think you're going?"
"I'm your assigned bodyguard, hence that means I need to be with you at all times," I explained.
"You can't just come into my room!" she cried out.
"Why not?" I asked.
"You're a boy! That's why!" she cried out.
I sighed, "I assure you miss, I am not a pervert or would ever act like that towards you. But that being said I can assure you that you won't even notice I'm there, you can continue to act however you wish."
"And you can't do all that from outside?"
"Ninjas can't see through walls," I told her, "well, my sensei can, so maybe when it's his shift you can ask him to wait outside, but I need to be inside, with you to make sure someone doesn't sneak in."
"Why do you think we are here kid?" one of the guards asked.
"He is right," Moe nodded, "they can protect me from outside, so can you."
I looked at them and then at her, "...very well, but if you are insistent on that at least let me ward your room to alert me if something does happen. That way if anyone other than you ever steps into your room while you're in there I'll know."
She scoffed, "what are you? Some sort of seal master?"
"Yes," was my immediate response.
"Liar," she huffed, "you look like you're thirteen! It takes years to become a seal master!"
"Actually I'm eleven, I graduated early because I'm very smart, I picked up sealing easily," I shrugged, "trust me, I know what I'm doing."
She looked at me and sighed, "fine. Go ahead," she moved aside letting me in.
I looked around, giant soft four poster bed, two shelves on either side filled with books, a table with more books on it and a couple of paintings hanging up on the wall.
I took out a scroll and looked around, there were five windows and one balcony. I took the scroll and tore of piece of paper, quickly scribbling down a seal I had made a long time ago that would detect intruders. I used it for security for my home, people had tried to break in once they learnt Naruto was living there as well.
I placed a seal under each window and one on their hinges. This way, if someone even opens the window I would know and if they somehow step inside the seal under the window worked as a proximity sensor, telling me i they came from outside in and going from the inside to the out.
I also put a couple of warning alarms in the room which I could remote activate, in case the guards outside had to be warned. I placed a few more security seals and hide one small Flying Thunder God seal behind her bed, barely seen.
While I worked Moe had taken up sitting on her bed, observing me. I walked to her and nodded, "it's done. Please don't try and sneak out during the night, that will set off the alarms."
Moe raised an eyebrow, "and why do you think I would do such a thing?"
I shrugged, "just a warning. Good night madam," I bowed before leaving her room standing outside with other guards.
"So shrimp, have you ever killed a man?" the gaurd asked me ten minutes into my watch.
I shook my head, "no."
"Have you ever killed anything?" he asked in a mocking tone.
"Yes, animals."
"Oh? What was it? A big scary rabbit?"
"No, I was given a puppy to raise. I cared for it for five years and when it came time to graduate I was asked to run a kunai down it's throat and skin it."
The guards gawked in horror, blinking at me. Under my mask I smiled, that got them to shut up. Finally. I don't think I could take six hours of them taunting me.
Three months later:
This was a form of punishment, I'm sure of it.
I'm stuck here, in this god forsaken mansion for five fucking months! I want to fucking kill Moe myself just to end the mission early!
There were no natural dungeons anywhere in the city, I know, I checked. The city itself was expensive I could barely buy anything without people wondering how a kid, let alone an orphan, could afford all that. So I was stuck, in the mansion, doing nothing but train with Ko and Zumo, with China on gaurd duty at the time.
But on the plus side, I did level up a few of my skills a few times;
Disturbance style, Lv- 44 (0%)
Akin to a warrior's dance performance, a user of this style is able to rapidly and relentlessly bombard their target with precision, at various angles and locations. This style, comprised of sheer unpredictable movements, can easily catch his opponents off-guard.
DMG- +85 + STR + DEX
Speed- 59% faster
Since I spared with a Hyuga everyday for the past ninety days, obviously my skills improved. Though not by a lot, at least now I could keep my with Ko to some degree, though beating him in Taijutsu is still a loooong way off.
Maintenance, Lv- 28 (30%)
Maintaining something is just as important as owning it.
+45% bonus to all items you maintain (clean, polish oil) for whatever their use is
Bonus lasts for 50 minutes
Since I could do nothing but train I took to making sure every tool I had was keep in tip top condition, meaning regular polishes.
Chakara thread, Lv- 30 (60%)
A concentrated thread of chakra that can be attached to manipulate certain objects.
CP cost- 3 CP per minute per 1 feet
Max length- 270 feet
And finally I also worked on the threads, since they were useful in their own way, mainly helping me control my weapons after I throw them.
After training though I usually had free time from noon to six, when I began my shift. So I did what any person would do, read books and more importantly, I began to write.
I didn't really have time to write, actually sit down and a lot time to write regularly since I began my ninja career. It was usually whenever I gained any free time between missions.
But now, I had a room to myself, meaning some privacy and silence. I also had time and ideas I needed to put down. So I began to write. I finished three books, each taking a month's time.
The first was Harry Potter...yeah, sorry J.K. Rowling. Introducing magic to the ninja world was difficult, but I explained it as a different form of chakra that only certain people could use.
I highlighted several interesting ideas, like Harry's desire to help people and the reason the Blood wars even began. To a world like the Elemental nations, blood was given a lot of importance and I wanted to show them just how stupid that all was.
I finished the first three books, the fourth on it's way. I had contacted Baroma, my editor, and told him to be ready for them the moment I returned to Konoha. He was excited as hell at the prospect of a new book series, he didn't even bother asking what it was about before accepting a seven book deal with me.
So that was how I spent my time here, between guarding the girl and training, time moved pretty quickly. And it was around three weeks into my third month on gaurd duty that something of note happened.
I felt my seal trigger, but only it wasn't because someone was coming inside, but rather that someone was going outside.
Curious, I walked inside and found the room empty. Growing cautious I immediately ran to the balcony and saw a long piece of rope tied around the railing, going down to the ground.
I looked around and immediately spotted her wearing a hood and sneaking around in the bushes, moving towards the gates. I rolled my eyes and leapt off the balcony, landing softly before running for the girl.
She was crouched behind a bush, looking at the gaurd by the gate when I stepped up behind her and cleared my throat, "what exactly are you doing madam?"
"Ep!" she cried out turning around to look at me. Her eyes widening in horror, "what? How?! I was so quiet!"
"You tripped my seals," I told her.
She blinked, "wait...those were real?"
I sighed, "yes, of course they were. Why do you think I made them? For show?"
She nodded, "I thought you just wanted me to think you were keeping me safe. You know, a placebo."
I sighed, "well, sorry to inform you, but I do actually know what I'm doing. And now, that leads me to my next question, what are you doing?"
She looked nervous. She bite her lips and looked around, the guards hadn't noticed us yet. Heh, top notch security my ass.
She sighed, "I-I...please, you have to let me go out tonight!"
I raised an eyebrow, "and why tonight?"
"Be-because," she looked down shyly, "because today's the day the new Stan Lee book comes out!"
I blinked. Okay, I didn't expect that. I figured she was going to meet a boyfriend or something, not this!
"Ah...you're going to sneak out, endanger your life...because of a book?" I asked her.
"It isn't just any book!" she hissed back, "it's Stan Lee's greatest work! My friend got an special preview and she said Batman, Wonder woman, Superman form a team with five other heroes! Five! And they save the entire world! I have to have that book!"
I blinked, I didn't realise people loved it so much. I sighed, "okay, how about this. You stay here and I'll get you a copy, yes?"
"No!" Son of a bitch! "It has to be me. I already paid the book store owner, I have to be one to receive it!"
I rubbed my forehead, "you are so annoying! Can't you just send a servant to pick it up or something?"
"I told you, only I can pick it up! It's a special book! It's too valuable for anyone else to get it!" she argued.
"What makes a book so special you're willing to endanger yourself over it?" I asked.
"It's been signed by Stan Lee himself," she smiled.
I blinked. Did I? No….wait...no, yeah, I have never signed any book ever! Not one! I looked at her, "that's not possible. Stan Lee doesn't do public meetings or signatures."
"Which is why this is so important!" Moe cried out, "it's literally one of a kind! I have to have it," her eyes looked watery, was she going to cry?
Ping!
Quest Alert!
Escort Moe Socio!
Rewards:
+100 EXP
+10 REP
Failure:
-20 REP with Moe
Do you accept?
Y/N?
I felt bad, I couldn't say no to this kid, she' too sweet...no, wait, wrong word. She's too annoying. Yeah, much better. Plus, I need to find out who this person was that has a book that I 'signed'.
"Fine," I told her as I pressed yes, "you can go." she smiled, "but under one condition."
"What's that?" she asked.
"I'm coming with you. No arguments. You do what I say, when I say. Got that?" I told her.
She bite her bottom lip for a moment thinking before sighing and nodding, "fine."
I nodded, "good. Now, what's your plan to get out of here?"
She just shrugged, "I just thought to wait until the guards look away and then making a run for it."
I facepalmed so hard I reduce my own HP by five points. This girl...I sighed, "okay, let me do the sneaking around. You be quiet. Got that?"
She nodded, "right," I then quickly swept her off her feet, carrying her bridal style, "hey!"
"I said be quiet," I hissed making her shut up. I then walked up to the wall and began to climb it using chakra. I leaped from the top, Moe covering her mouth from crying out in shock.
We landed on the other side and I put her down. She turned to me wide eyed, "how did you do that?"
"Special ninja training, now come on. We have only four hours before my sensei begins his shift and trust me when I say he's a lot less understand than me," I motioned her to move.
"Right," Moe covered herself with her hood and walked down the street. I followed her closely, looking out for any hostile forces. Luckily there was only the few odd civilian walking around t eight in the night.
We reached the middle of the village and Move quickly moved into a narrow road. I looked around for attacker and slowly drew out a kunai, just in case. She stopped before a very fancy looking book store, a book made out of gold and black leather displayed in the window.
She then knocked three times and I moved in front of her. "What are you doing?" she asked.
"Making sure the man who answers the door won't try to kill you," I told her.
The door opened, an old man, around fifty maybe, answered it. He had a pencil mustache on his face and regent looking robes. He looked at me and snorted, "what do you want ninja?"
Woah, a ninja, someone who can spew fire and control nature like ti was nothing stood next this guy in the middle of the night and his first response was to look down on me? Damn dude, respect.
Pikaru Bobin, Book store owner
Lv- 12
REP- -10
I moved aside, letting him see Moe, and immediately his face did a complete 180. Hate and disgust was replaced with respect and joy, "my lady Socio! It is an honour to see you! Come, come, you're just in time. I just received it today!"
Moe smiled as she walked in, I closely followed, closing the door behind us.
Moe dropped her hood and looked around, "how has business been Mr. Bobin?"
"Oh you know, the good noble of this city have sharp wits about them from reading so much. I'm doing quite well thank you very much for asking madam," the man ducked behind his billing counter and took out a book wrapped in brown paper and thread, "and here it is, Stan Lee's newest masterpiece, and from what I hear, it's also his greatest!"
He handed it over to Moe who took it with a distracted look in her eyes. Her fingers moved quickly, ripping the thread apart and then tearing the brown paper revealing the book inside.
It was around a thousand pages, yes, I had to write that much to fit the entire plot in it. The cover had the picture of eight figures, their silhouettes dark against the rising sun. The words 'Justice League: The Beginning' written below with my pen name above.
She quickly opened the book, the fresh paper smell hitting me hard. And there, in black ink, was a dedication. 'To Moe Socio, keep reading and grow to be a wonderful lady. Signed, Stan Lee.'
It was sweet, really, it was. Only thing is, I didn't sign it.
"It amazing," Moe said as she hugged the book to her chest, "thank you for getting him to sign it for me Mr. Bobin."
The old book seller smiled, "it was my pleasure miss. I know how much you like his work, once I told him how much of an avid fan you were he couldn't say no!"
"Did you meet him?" she asked looking amazed, "what kind of man was he?"
The old book store owner smiled, "he was wise beyond his years. An older gentleman, around my age. He wore a black and green kimono and his fingers were stained with ink, almost like he couldn't bring himself to rub it off. He had a big smile, though sometimes I could see pain behind it. He was a ninja, I think. Retired. I asked him why and he said many things happened to him during his long life, his experience were what he wrote down in his book, hoping that one day the world will learn to love, rather than hate."
I felt my eyebrow twitch as rage built inside me. THI FUCKING SACK OF SHIT! ARGHH! He's using my name to rip this girl off?! FUCK YOU!
"He sounds amazing," Moe said looking star struck, "do you..do you think I can meet him?"
Bobin sighed, "I'm sorry madam Socio, I asked him, but he doesn't wish to see anyone. The only reason I gained access to him was because I knew his publisher and asked for a few favours. I'm sorry, but you must understand, the man wishes for peace and to not be disturbed in his final days. He's happy knowing that his work is loved by people like you."
Yup. I'm going to kill him. I'm actually going to kill him. Well.., obviously not. I can't do it in front of her. Damn it.
"Amazing," she said looking at the book before her. He quickly turned to the first chapter and smiled reading the thoughts of Batman and his explanation was being in a secret government facility.
"Ah hem," Bobin cleared his throat, "there is of course the small matter of my payment madam."
Moe looked up, "what? Oh, yes, I'm sorry, I got distracted," she smiled reached into her robes to pull out wad of bills. Around...ten thousand ryo?! Shit, for that much money I would sign it myself!
"Understandable," he smiled as he took the money and put it away, "after all his words do have a certain...charm to them."
She smiled, "yes, they do," she shut the book and turned to me, "come, let's go."
"Actually, if you wouldn't mind, I would like to look around for a bit," I said looking at the books, "it's rare for me to see such high quality works."
"Oh, you're a reader are you mr. ninja?" he asked in a condescending tone.
I nodded, "yes. Every good ninja needs a sharp mind. I spent most of my childhood reading."
Moe blinked, "w-well, that's nice ah, ninja," wait...did she forget my name? "but we have to go," she did. The bitch!
"Right, of course," I nodded, "but I do wish to come back. Mr. Bobin, could you possibly give me your address so that I can contact your shop through mail when I return from Konoha? A few of these books really have caught my eye."
The man raised an eye before sighing, "fine, wait here, I'll get you a card."
"Please," I took out an empty seal tag and a brush, "use mine."
He scoffed taking the stage and brush, writing down his address quickly, "you always carry an inked brush with you?"
I nodded, "helps to make seals on the go."
"I'm sure," he spat, given the tag to me. I looked at it, words hastily written, but obvious. Perfect.
"Madam Socio," I turned to Moe.
"Yes?" she asked me.
"May I see that book?" I asked her.
"What for?" she asked looking worried.
"I promise, I won't do a thing to it," I told her, holding out my hand. She looked hesitant but nodded, handing it over to me. I opened to the dedication page and compared the words, "as I thought. Honestly, couldn't you have altered it slightly so that it isn't obvious that you forged this?"
"W-what?!" Bobin cried out, "how dare you! I'll talk to the Daimyo about this! I'll have your head for making such a claim!"
"Oftenly defensive for someone who's supposed to be innocent," I shot back making the man's eyes' winden.
"What are you talking about ninja?" Moe asked looking confused.
I held up the dedication and the tag, "they match. Exact same handwriting. Meaning the person who signed this wasn't the real Stan Lee but an imposter. This moron signed it himself and overcharged you by ten thousand ryo."
"W-what?" Moe asked as she took hold of the book with shaking hands, comparing the two works.
"Don't listen to him madam Socio! He's lying! He's a ninja, a born liar! It's what they do!" Bobin cried out, trying to approach Moe, but I quickly stepped in, grabbing him by the throat and slamming him on the counter and pressing a kunai at his throat.
"I am a ninja, but you're the liar in this room," I growled.
"Release him," Moe called out.
"But Ms. Socio-" I argued.
"-Do it," she ordered once more.
I sighed but did so, moving back. Damn it, I hate the mission! Bobin sighed in relief as he stood up straight rubbing his sore throat, "thank you madam, I knew you would see the truth and not believe the lies that this-"
"-Silence!" she hissed out making the man stop mid sentence. Moe looked pissed, very pissed. She looked down at him with a cold glare, "the money I payed you. Give it."
The man binked, "w-what?"
"The money! Now!" she cried out.
"Right away," he nodded, taking the wad of money and giving it to her with shaking hands. Damn, little tiger has a voice on her.
Moe took the cash and put it away, "be grateful I don't have my bodyguard here kill you for trying to cheat a nobel like you did. If it was any other person I wouldn't have stopped him, but you...you have always been kind to me...though now I look back and wonder how much of that was for your profit."
"I would never-"
"Shut it," I cut Bobin off pressing a kunai against his neck, "the lady's talking."
Moe nodded, "thank you. Listen closely you rouge, this will be my only warning for you. You will never again do what you tried to do to me. If I ever hear one of my friends obtained a similar book from you I will tell my father, who as you know has the Daimyo's ear. Or maybe I can tell him myself, I am his goddaughter after all. I'm sure he would be displeased to know how I was tricked."
"N-no! Please!" Bobin cried out.
"Silence!" she hissed with hard eyes, "you will never mention to anyone about seeing us here today, do you understand? Do so and I will have my bodyguard here kill you before you know it. I will never cross your doors again, pray that I never see you again you pitiful rouge. Come, our work is done," she turned and walked away.
I whistled, "damn, now that was bad ass. Much better than what I could have done," I looked at the man, "stay out of trouble Bobin. Oh, and one more thing," I grabbed his collar and head butted him, cracking his nose open, making him gush blood.
"ARGH!" he cried out holding his broken nose. I waved and quickly left the store, closing the door behind me.
Moe and I walked back to her home in silence. I carried her over the compound wall and took her back into her room. She put the book on her table and sat on the bed pulling her legs closer to chest and she put her head on her knees.
Ping!
Quest Completed!
Escort Moe Socio!
Rewards:
+100 EXP
+10 REP
I waited in one corner of the room, her sniffles loud in the quiet chamber. I waited, after five minutes she finally stopped.
She gathered he strength and got up, turning to me and bowing, "thank you for helping me. If you weren't there I would have been tricked by that man. Thank you...I'm sorry, but I seem to have forgotten your name."
"Yami," I told her, "my name is Yami."
"Is that a code name of some kind?" she asked.
"No. My name is Yami," I repeated.
"But you have no last name?"
"Orphan," I shrugged.
"Ah. I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault," I shrugged, "honestly, I never understand why people say that. Why do you they apologize my my loss? I never grew up with parents so I don't know what it feels to have one, so why would I feel lesser in anyway?"
Moe smiled, "yes, that is true. You're a funny man Yami, you should joke more."
I shrugged, "ninja, doesn't really fit the image."
"Come, sit," she motioned over to her couch, sitting on one end with me on the other. "Tell me Yami, why did you become a ninja?"
I hummed, "well, I guess it's because I didn't really have much choice. As an orphan the best way to become famous and make enough money to live was to become a ninja. Plus, it's the best way to survive. If I was just a civilian, even a ten year old genin could kill me without blinking an eye."
"I see," Moe nodded, "well I suppose survival is a good a reason as any."
I nodded, "yup...now, are you going to tell me why getting this book signed was so important to you?"
Moe sighed, "yes, I suppose I do owe you an explanation. You see...I'm a bibliophile and that makes me...well, it makes me lonely."
I nodded, "I get that."
"Yes, so I read a lot. And soon by the time I was ten I ran out of books for me too read. They become predictable or obvious. They were...boring. But then the first of Lee's books came out. Batman Begins. I read it after a friend recommended it to me and immediately I was hooked. The world he made, one of science and not ninjas. A hero that understood certain things had to be done, but never crossed the line to killing, always looking for another way. It was like nothing I read.
"So I became obsessed. And the more I read Lee's works, the more...I understood the way the world worked. It was a dark and scary place, but if people are...if people are kind, if they try...then we came make it so much better."
I smiled, "you're pretty much in love with his works huh?"
Moe smiled, "yes...and that is why.." she picked up her copy of justice league and opened the first page. She glared at the dedication and tore the page out, throwing it in the trash. "Stupid...so stupid."
She wasn't a bitch after all. She was...different. Unique. Smart and more importantly, she understood. I should give her something...I got it. I sighed, "you know what….here, you can probably appreciate this a lot more than me," I opened my inventory and took out a book.
"How did you just pluck that out of thin air?" she asked sounding surprised.
I thought for a moment before shrugging and replying, "ninja. Here, I think you'll like this a lot more than I do."
She blinked as she took the old worn red book. She opened it and read aloud, "Batman Begins?..." she read for a moment, "this is a handwritten version of the first Lee book. But half the words have been cut out and replaced, it's quite...messy. And chaotic. Who wrote this, an eight year old? Why are you giving it to me?"
I rolled my eyes, "it isn't just a hand written version of The Batman, it's the first verion of it before his editor changed the book's title, it's Lee's master copy, his first ever manuscript. Meaning that hand writing you just insulted..."
"Is Lee's?!" she asked in surprise.
I nodded, "yup. It's his first ever attempt, kind of lame, I know, but hey, give him a break, he never did this before."
"H-how do you have something like this?!" Moe cried out, looking over the book, reading the pages, her fingers touching the words, feeling the impression I made on the paper by pressing too hard.
It was time to lie. "I know Lee," I told her, "he gave me the book."
"You know Stan Lee?! The real one? Are you just trying to trick me as well?!" She asked the last part a little angry.
"Calm down princess," I waved at her, "I'm being serious. Why else do you think I was so pissed off at that book store owner? Honestly, he made him out to be such a poetic tragic figured, when really he's so much different."
"H-how is he?" she asked.
I turned to her, "honestly? He's an ass. Kind of boring, super focused on training all the time, no time for friends, writes only when he wants too or has no choice and like you said, his kanji sucks balls."
"But how do you know him?" she asked.
I shrugged, "I figured out his secret. He's a ninja too and lives in Konoha, once I became a ninja I searched for him, figuring out who he was in like...I don't know, a week? He gave me the book to shut me up, but what I really wanted him to do was teach me a cool jutsu I could use. He agreed and taught me, he even let me keep the book. Although I never really cared for it."
Lie successful!
Yes! I did it!
"Amazing," she looked at the book in her hands before snapping at me, "c-can you introduce me to him?"
I shook my head, "nope. The one thing the crappy book guy got right was his privacy. I swore to him I wouldn't tell anyone who he really was and I don't break my promise. Sorry kiddo."
"I-I see," she nodded before blinking, "kiddo? Aren't you younger than me?"
I shrugged, "mentally I'm 100."
Moe rolled her eyes, "sure...ninjas. So weird." I smiled, at least she cracked a joke. Moe spent the next hour reading my old note book. Honestly the only reason I didn't burn that already is because it's not worth the chakra needed to do even that. But hey, it meant the world to her and by giving it to her cause her REP score to raise to 45. Not bad.
She closed the book and sighed, she turned to me, "I don't know how I can ever repay you for this. It-it's amazing. Whatever you want, please, just ask and I'll do my best to reward you."
I nodded, "thank you for that. I just have one request."
"Anything."
"Don't ever try and sneak out again like that, trust me, it's not worth it. And I know for a fact that Lee would say the same damn thing, got it?" I flicked her forehead.
"Y-yes," she said rubbing the spot I flicked.
"Good. Now, how about you read the new book and tell me what you think? I may not be able to get Lee to talk to you, but I'll tell him what you thought."
Moe immediately perked up and nodded. She took the book and began to read while I waited outside.
Ko came to relieve me in one short hour. "Anything to report?" he asked me.
At this point I should have lied and said no, but I didn't like my chance, plus he might already know that we went out. So I sighed and nodded, "yes actually. The princess decided to go on an adventure…." I told him everything.
In the end Ko nodded, "thank you for telling me Yami, that was the right thing to do. And while I don't think allowing her to leave was a good move, especially when you're supposed to keep her out of harm's way," he glared at me, "it was obvious she wouldn't have listened you would have had to restran her, causing a bigger wedge between us and the household. You handled yourself well, go on, get some rest. You earned it."
I bowed, "thank you sensei."
And that was how Moe and I became friends.
For the next week every time it was my turn for watch she would invite me into her room and we would talk. Mostly it was about 'Stan Lee's' new work, was it a little narcissistic that I praised myself for nearly six hours straight every day for a week?...yeah, probably.
But we didn't always talk about the new book, we also talked about our lives, what our favorite foods were, why she hated the colour blue...sad, I know, and even why I never showed off my face.
"I told you," I rolled my eyes, "this is mission time, hence, mission face."
"Oh come on Yami! I have never once got to see it!" she whined, "I know what all your other teammates look like, but not you! And they wouldn't ever tell me! Hell, that female ninja friend of yours glared at me for asking!"
I chuckled, "yeah, China is...protective like that. Don't worry, she's harmless."
Moe scoffed, "she's better than that other boy. Zumo right? Honestly, that boy. She keeps staring at me all the time!"
I shrugged, "can you blame him? You are beautiful Ms. Socio."
Moe blushed, "t-thanks."
I nodded, "you're welcome."
"Right….now show me your face!"
I chuckled, "alright alright," I lowered my hood and face mask revealing my face, "ta da."
Moe 's cheeks turned a tinge of red, "y-you are very handsome Yami."
I smiled, "thanks princess, and don't worry about Zumo, he's as harmless as they come."
Moe shrugged, "I suppose. Yami...how old are you?"
I blinked, "hmm, let's see, I turned 12 three months ago I think."
"Three months ago? You mean when you arrived here?" Moe asked.
I nodded, "yes."
"I see, did you celebrate?"
"Oh no, I don't celebrate my birthdays, no reason to. Usually I would just have ramen with Naruto."
"Who is this Naruto?" she asked, "you keep mentioning him."
"He's another orphan, like me," I told her, "we both live together, helps save money that way. He's my age but hasn't become a ninja yet, he will be, soon...I think he's going to be taking the test next week...hopefully I can be home before he gets his team...poor guy probably misses me."
"You sound like a concerned parent," she smiled.
"More like an older brother taking care of a stupid younger brother then almost always get's into trouble," I chuckled.
Moe nodded, "I would like to meet him. Now...what do you think about Hawkgirl?"
I blinked, "what do you mean?"
"I mean, doesn't her character seem a little harsh to you? Like, she' nothing like Diana."
"Most women aren't," I shrugged, "She has been held prisoner and tortured for some time, of course she would be grumpy. Plus she's an alien, maybe on her world women are expected to act differently."
"Hm, makes sense," Moe nodded, "but what about-"
"-Wait, madam Socio, stop talking," I jumped on my feet, threw my hood up and face mask on. I closed my eyes and felt them, four unknown chakra signatures just inside my sensory range. One was a high level chunin, maybe jonin and three others, chunin for sure. Damn, I don't know who this could be, I can't tell from so far away! But they are so fucking strong!
"Yami, what's wrong?" Moe asked getting up as well.
"Four enemy ninjas are approaching," I felt them approaching us, 290 feet and closing fast. I made a ram hand seal and sent out three bursts of chakra that would alert Ko and the others of danger coming.
I turned to Moe, "you need to run and hide. Do you have a panic room? Some sort of secret tunnel?"
Moe nodded, "yes," she ran to the bookshelf and pulled on a black book, causing the shelf to collapse inside to reveal a staircase going down stairs.
"Alright, go down there and hide, don't come out unless I come down there for you. And even then, don't believe it's me, thy could be transformed to look like me. Ask me a personal question, like: who gave you the dusty red book not worth burning? I'll answer Lee and that's how you'll know it's me. Go it?"
Moe was shaking, but she steeled herself and nodded, "y-yes!"
"Good, and one more thing," I took out a fanged dagger from my inventory and gave it to her, "if you're in trouble and need my help, just throw this dagger and I'll be at your side immediately. Don't lose this dagger and don't throw it unless you absolutely have to, understand?"
"Yes," she nodded.
"Good, now go!" I told her motioning her to the stairs. She nodded as she ran in, the shelf closing shut behind her.
Just then the doors were thrown open as Ko, China and Zumo ran in wit Gowa and five of his guards behind him.
"Where is mistress Socio?!" Gowa demanded.
"She' safe in the panic room," I told him before turning to Ko, "four ninjas, I think it's a team. One with high chunin level, maybe jonin and three other chunin.."
Ko's eyes went wide, "are you sure?"
"You know about my chakra senses right?" I asked him, "yes, I'm sure."
"Damn it!" Ko hissed, "we aren't ready for this!"
"We have no choice," Gowa said turning to his men, "you five come with me, we'll go into the panic room and keep the mistress safe."
"Right," I opened the secret passage, "when you go down there she ill ask you a question, the answer is Stan Lee, understand?"
Gowa looked confused but nodded as he and his men went down stairs. I closed the passage way and turned to Ko, "what's the plan?"
Ko activated his Byakugan and looked around, "I see them. You were right, three person cell, jonin, three chunin, hm, but they look newer. They look like they are from Iwa, there are two female chunin and one male. The jonin is male. And they are scouring the walls, mapping out gaurd patterns and the like."
"Wait a minute! Are you telling me we are going to be fighting a squad of chunin?!" Zumo cried out, "we barely survived fighting off rouge untrained ninja from a minor land!? Ko sensei, we can't do this!"
Ko narrowed his eyes, "yes. But if we don't at least try, we're all dead."
"D-dead?" China looked white as a sheet. I groaned, I didn't realise she and Zumo didn't have Gamer's mind like me letting me think through this without pressure.
I sighed, "China, look at me," she turned to me as I placed both hands on her, "we will survive this, do you understand? We will live, and we will return to Konoha as proud ninjas who kept our word. I promise you, I will do everything in my power to keep you alive. Do you understand?"
"Y-yes Yami," she nodded weakly.
Ping!
Quest Alert!
Fighting off the Iwa ninjas!
Rewards:
+5 skill scroll
+ 5 stat points
Failure:
Death of Moe, automatic failure of main quest.
Do you accept?
Y/N?
Like I had a choice. I pressed yes and turned to Ko, "what do we do sensei?"
Ko looked around, "we can't bring Socio out, it would paint her as a target and even if fighting them will distract a few of them, it will only take one kunai to kill her. She stays where she is...for now..." he looked around, "we'll set a trap."
I nodded, "right. Let me be the bait."
"Yami no!" China cried out, "you can't!"
"I have too," I used the henge and turned into a perfect copy of Moe, complete with the smooth finger and confident eyes, "sensei can hide and the moment we spring our trap he can take on the jounin while we hold off the others. Hopefully his surprise attack along with the trap will be enough to take them down quickly."
"I...I agree," Ko nodded, "that is a very bright idea Yami. Fine, but we need to trap them as well."
"Leave that to me," I grinned as I took out a scroll from Moe's desk and a brush. I quickly began to create my fire suppression seal. I then took out a vial of the flammable oil I gained from Charmeleon in the level 5 Dungeon and explained the plan.
Ko was hesitant, but after I assured him I tested the seal he agreed. We set the trap up and got into place. Ko hide under the balcony with Zumo while China waited outside the room doors, waiting for the trap to go off.
I took my place as the bait, picking up Moe's Justice League book and placing the seals inside it. I then began pacing around the room reading it, then ten minutes later I felt the Iwa ninjas move.
With the Iwa ninjas:
Yaki Nii was the explosion specialist of the team. She had dirty blonde hair cut short to her shoulders and a curvy figure for a girl her age. She prided herself with being calm and determined in a fight, her skills earning herself the right to become a chunin at the age of 14.
Her team had been assigned an A rank mission, their very first and very important. The Tsuchikage himself had ordered this mission carried out, as it was a high priority.
Her team had traveled for two weeks to get here, taking their time, disguised as a family of traveling merchants. Finally, they managed to gain entry into Hono, and that night they launched their plan into action.
They stood outside the compound walls tracking the guards movement. Each wore a black white mask and a dark cloak with it's hood up.
Naegeli Oil, their jonin sensei used his rat summons to map out the grounds. The man stood at 5 feet 8 inches tall with the dark skin found common in Kumo. His hair was light brown and his body was ripped with muscles.
Yaki's two chunin teammates however were much shorter than the man, a male and female. The boy's name was Waki, fair skin like hers and black hair. He always had a smile on his face, happy going as they come with a strong sense of protectiveness over his comrades.
And the last member of her team was Chio, Chio Rege, fair skin with bright yellow hair. She was an embarrassment to the word konichi if anyone asked Yaki. The woman spent more time on her face then in their field. The only reason she even passed is because her father was a friend of the Tsuchikage, fucking spoilt princess.
"So we just grab her and move?" Chio asked once more as she looked at the compound. Yaki knew Chio hadn't paid attention to the briefing, too concerned about meeting a cute guy in Hono.
"Yes," Oil grumbled, "we can't risk being seen, so remember, if anything happens and you get caught, the pills are a last resort," he took out a white pill that make Yaki shudder, they had been training for over a year for this mission, she really hoped they didn't have to resort to that option.
Suddenly Oil perked up, "my rat summon just messaged me back. The target is alone in her room reading a book. A female konoha genin is standing gaurd outside her room. There appear to be...some sort of trigger seals on the windows, Waki, think you can disable them?"
Waki took out a brush and and twirled it around, "ain't no thing big boss."
"Good," Oil nodded, "once inside Yaki will secure the target while Chio and I deal with any resistance like the guards of the ninja team. If we get separated remeber to meet back at the designated secure area, understand?"
"Yes sir," Yaki replied along with her teammates. The explosion expert gulped, she hoped they would all come out of this alive.
They moved, jumping over the compound wall easily and sneaking around view the bushes. They then leaped and landed on the girl's balcony and looked inside from the shadows.
The girl was pacing around the room with an eager looking smile on her face as she read through a book, the title being covered by her hand. She kept chuckling, completely oblivious to them.
'Waki, go,' Oil motioned using his hands. The young boy nodded as he moved to the window sill and looked inside the room, finding the seals. He blinked, not moving for a long time.
Oil grew worried, 'what's wrong? Can't crack it?'
'No, I can, it's just I have never seen anything like this before. It's a simple enough seal thought, give me a moment,' Waki said taking out a scroll and writing down a seal slowly, taking long looks at the seal under the window.
'What's taking so long?' Choi asked.
'It's harder than I thought,' Waki admitted.
'Can you do it?' Yaki motioned.
Waki turned to her and nodded, 'I just did,' he held up a seal tag, placing it on the balcony doors. 'Seals are down.'
'Good, move in now,' Oil said as the four moved as one.
Yaki took the lead, easily slipping in and rushing to the target. She looked up and with wide eyes began, "who are-"
"-Sh!" Yaki quickly covered her mouth and slipped behind her, putting her under a head lock. The target struggled, Yaki turned to her allies and nodded.
They quickly came in, Oil moving to the target and taking out a seal that would put the target to sleep. He moved to her, and suddenly, the target stopped struggling.
And she moved like a blur.
Oil's hand was kicked away by the target's outstretched legs, the sudden movement taking the jonin by surprise. The seal was stuck to the bottom of the girl's shoe. She flipped around, easily breaking out of Yaki's hold, before slapping the seal on the explosion girl's head, causing her to drop instantly.
With Yami:
I smiled, "I've been expecting you," I made the ram seal causing the balcony doors to slam shut.
"Get out! It's a trap!" the jonin cried as the three remaining member of the team ran to the window, trying to break out, only for the glass to throw their energy back at them.
The seal kid who managed to break in was smart, he had to be if he actually managed to slip past my seals in the first place. He noticed the seals I had hidden underneath the carpet, he ripped the carpet off, "it's reinforced!"
The jonin turned to me, kunai drawn and ready to attack. I knew it as time.
I quickly formed made the tiger seal causing a third set of seals I had put under the window sill to explode, covering the Iwa ninjas near it to be covered with the flammable oil I had sealed inside.
"What is this!?" cried out a female ninja, "it's getting everywhere! Argh! My make up is totally ruined!"
But I wasn't just going to wait, I took the book I was reading while in character and slammed it on the ninja I had managed to put to sleep. Immediately the seal began to surround her body, wrapping her up tight like a mummy.
"We need to go! It's oil!" the smart boy cried out!
The jonin turned to me, I moved through the hand seals for a fire jutsu. I could see his eyes behind that white mask widen.
He quickly moved through hand seals for a wind jutsu faster than I could even follow,, "wind release: Great Breakthrough!" the wind blast destroyed the reinforced glass, allowing them to jump out of the room.
"Fire release: Great fireball jutsu!" I smirked, they thought I was alone? Did they really forget I was part of a team?
Zumo and Ko jumped up from underneath the balcony. Zumo fired off the ball of flames right at them, they were in mid air from leaping through the fire. The fireball didn't even get in contact before the oil exploded, lighting them all on fire.
"ARGH!" the three cried out, the chunin immediately dropping to the ground, trying to roll and kill the flame.
I quickly tossed two scrolls at them. They exploded out into large seals, wrapping around them like I did for their friend and quickly killing the flames and mummifying them.
The seal had three parts to it, one was the fire suppression seal I invented. The second was a simple binding seal that I had adjusted to wrap around their whole body. And the third was an immediate status charm that would kick in, knocking them both out. It was like a giant pokeball!
The jonin however still stood, he managed to ignore the fire on his body long enough to move through a few water jutsu hand seals. "Eight Trigram two palms!" Ko moved in, striking him hard.
It made contact, two quick blows to close the tenketsu in his forearm, "four palms!" four closed in his right arm, "eight palms!" Eight closed in his right shoulder, "Sixteen palms!" sixteen closed on his body, "thirty two palms!" thirty two closed all over his form, "sixty four palms!" during the final stage of the attack Ko's fists were so fast, I couldn't even see what he was hitting.
The final strike however, hit the jonin so hard, he was sent flying back through the now shattered windows and into the far side of the room, slamming in the wall hard.
Ko and Zumo came to my side, "are you alright?" Ko asked.
"I fine," I replied.
"You bastards!" the Iwa ninja came back on his feet, his skin suffering from second degree burns and his body covered with holes a few inches deep, bleeding blood out onto the floor. He looked at us, one of his eyes closed from blood seeping into it from a wound from his forehead, "you fucking bastard."
"Please don't resist," I told him, "if I wanted you all dead you would be. A stronger binding agent with the oil, maybe even some paralytic poison and you would be able to do nothing except stand still in shock as you felt your body burn. But I didn't do that, please, don't make me hurt you."
Ko looked at me in surprise, but the jonin, he just laughed, "mercy? You think this is mercy boy?!" he growled, grabbing his brown leather vest common for Iwa ninjas and pulled it off revealing a hundred explosion seals, enough to bring this entire house down, "I would rather die than take Konoha's mercy! My name is Oil boy! Tell the shinigami that I sent you to him!"
"Fuck!" Zumo cried out as dashed forward to stop him. But Oil was slowly making the tiger hand seal to trigger the explosion. And just then, there was a sharp hiss of steel being drawn from wood.
Wosh!
Oil's eyes winded as he saw blood exploding from where his right arm used to be. He dropped down, his limbs cut off and laying down beside him as his right shoulder bleed out. There were two steel blades to his right, covered in his blood and standing above him was China, her eyes focused and merciless.
"You will not hurt my friends," she said, and I have to admit, I think my respect for her just went up by a hundred points. And judging by the way Zumo looked at her I think his went up by a thousand.
"Y-you bastards," he coughed out, landing on his face in the pool of blood.
Immediately I ran to his side and began to cancel out all the exploding tags by dropping ink on them to cover up all the kanji. I then moved to his right stump and took out a new scroll righting a blood loss prevention seal and splamning it on his torso. It was a simple sela every medic needed to know, I just gave it a few tweaks to make it more effective.
Slowly his breathing began to go back to normal, he had stopped losing so much blood per minute. I moved back and sighed. I took out another one of my special containment scrolls at tossed it at him, sealing him up into a mummy.
Ping!
Quest Completed!
Fighting off the Iwa ninjas!
Rewards:
+5 skill scroll
+ 5 stat points
I turned to China who was on her knees crying with Zumo and Ko by her side. Zumo hugged her, holding her tight as she cried into his arms. Ko stood back, a proud smile on his face.
"China," I spoke. The girl looked up at me, "you saved us, all of us," I couldn't help but have a smile come on my face, "thank you."
China nodded, "I just wanted to be useful."
I smiled and flicked her forehead, "dummy, you're a member of team eleven, of course you're useful. You're the heart...and Zumo's the butt."
"What did you say you bastard!" Zumo cried out, "if I'm the butt what does that make you?!"
I shrugged, "obviously I'm the brian."
"Actually I believe I'm the brains," Ko smiled.
"No sensei, you're the stomach, the part where chakra is created," I corrected him.
Ko chuckled, "alright, I suppose that's true enough."
"What?! No it isn't! I'm not the butt!" Zumo cried out comically.
China gave a small giggle, I smiled, I'm, glad she smiled once more. Kid doesn't need to cry all the time.
"Alright team, we need to pack up," Ko said slipping into his serious mode, "Zumo, take the captured ninja and lock them in my room. China, you and I will go on a perimeter sweep around the grounds one more time, just in case they had some friends."
China nodded, "right."
"And Yami, I want you to cover this entire room and the compound walls with your detection seals, I don't care what Gowa want, this is how we are doing things. Move!"
I nodded and we all split up. It took me fifteen minutes to warm up the entire compound. And when I was done Ko arrived before me, looking very stoic.
I raised an eyebrow, "what's wrong sensei?"
"Why did you show mercy?" Ko asked.
I sighed, I sat down on the roof of the compound wall and looked out into the city before me "this world has enough people living in hate. I thought if I could spare them, I could at least stop one more person from hating Konoha."
Ko sighed, "that's a very...idealistic way of thinking Yami...that sort of thinking could have gotten your teammates killed today. If China hadn't been there then that man would have killed us all with his suicide tactic."
"I had it under control," I told him.
"How?" he asked, "if you had used a stronger mix and killed them all then it wouldn't have even made a difference, but tell me, how would you have handled it?"
I wanted to tell him about the Flying Thunder god jutsu but...I couldn't, not yet. He can't know about it just yet. If he did, the Hokage would take it away from me and refuse to let me out of the village in fear someone will capture me and torture i out of me. I needed to prove myself worthy before that...I needed to prove I was a good enough ninja without using it.
I sighed, "you're right. I didn't know, so I couldn't account for it. I'm sorry sensei."
Ko sighed, he sat down besides me and placed a gentle arm on my shoulder, "Yami...you have a light inside you that is kind and noble. I'm not saying that is a bad thing, I would never say that. It's the kind of belief that can inspire greatness in others. But. You cannot ever, ever risk the lives of your allies for your beliefs, understood?"
I nodded, "yes, I understand."
"Good, now come, I believe Zumo has informed madam Socio then the danger has passed and we still have Iwa ninjas to imprison," he stood up and jumped off, I followed closely behind him.
We arrived in Moe's room, now looking like a battle ground with broken glass and scorch marks littering the floor. China stood in one corner with shifty eyes while Zumo and Owa's palace gaurd escorted Moe out.
The moment she saw me her eyes went wide, "oh thank goodness nothing happened! I was sick with worry Yami."
Zumo blinked, "ow come you call him by his name but call me ninja?"
Moe looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "because he's cooler than you."
China and I snickered at Zumo's heart broken expression, this shit was priceless!
A month later:
My team and I stood straight behind Moe as her father listened to Gao's report of the happenings of the household over the past five months.
When he was done Dogino turned to us and looked at Ko, "so...it seems your team was effective after all. What has happened with the enemy ninjas?"
"Then have been sent to Konoha for interrogation sir," Ko explained, "they were collected a week after the attack, I sent the lord Hokage a missive about it, informing him about the details."
"Hm, I see, and I as I understand because of the inclusion of such high level threats my mission for you has risen in rank to a B rank mission, yes?"
Ko nodded, "that is correct sir."
The man nodded, "very well, give me the updated scroll jonin sensei," he extended his hand taking the scroll and quickly signing. Officially closing our five month long mission.
Ping!
Quest completed!
Save the lady!
Reward:
+20 REP to all residents in the land of fire
New perk!
-10 REP for all ninjas off Iwa.
Ping!
You have a new perk!
Peace lover- +1 points for every enemy you spare.
Damn, that's not half bad. The perk was something else, something I could really use and the -10 REP isn't all that bad, I half expected it to be -30 or something.
Dogino nodded, "you have all done a fine job. Thank you for keeping my little girl safe. Dismissed," he said casually without a second thought.
We nodded and walked away, I went to my room to pack up and leave when the door opened and Moe walked in with a smile.
"So you're just going to pack up and leave?" she asked looking at my ready bag.
"Yes, I am, that's the life of a ninja," I quickly sealed the bag into a scroll before pocketing it.
Moe looked at the scroll with an impressed eyebrow, "I really have to learn how to do that."
I chuckled, "I'm sure you can hire someone to teach you."
Moe nodded, "maybe...Yami...thank you. And I don't just mean for saving my life or making sure I didn't get swindled out of my money but….for being a friend when I was lone. It was a very nice experience."
I smiled, "you're welcome Moe."
She smiled, "that's the first time you ever called me by my name. It's alway Ms. Socio or Madam with you."
I shrugged, "my mission is now over, I can call you whatever I want."
"Hm, I am still a nobel you know?"
I shrugged, "and I'm incredibly handsome." Moe raised an eyebrow, "what? I thought we were staying facts."
She chuckled. She looked at me for a moment before she took out the fanged dagger I gave her, "I spent a few nights with this under my pillow. I knew you all were watching me but….I just needed to feel safe," I nodded, "and...I was wondering, do you think I could keep it?"
I smiled, "of course."
Moe smiled. She put it away and hugged me, "I'll miss you Yami."
I hugged her back, "I'll miss you too Moe. stay safe okay?"
Moe nodded, "okay. Oh, and do me a favour, tell Lee that I love his book. It's probably his best one yet."
I chuckled, "sure, I promise I'll tell him."