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Accidental Gamer Hero by Knowing Autumn
 Anime » Naruto Rated: M, English, Fantasy, Hinata H., OC, Words: 198k+, Favs: 3k+, Follows: 4k+, Published: Dec 5, 2020 Updated: 15h ago1,954Chapter 15: To the Capital
A/N: Sometimes I get asked how I update so fast; what's my secret? Pro tip for any aspiring writers out there: what I do is I read terrible fanfics. Like really trash tier, dumpster fire stories. I read those and think to myself, 'I can do better than that', and I just start writing. The motivation comes from being pissed at how some authors are butchering the original content. And trust me, there are way too many terrible Naruto stories.
Like how you gonna make Kyuubi say he loves German chocolate (from an actual story I read recently) when GERMANY DOESN'T EVEN FUCKEN EXIST IN THE NARUVERSE. Yeah it's stupid shit like this that really gets my blood pumping and the creative juices flowing.
I'll admit my old stories were at the same level as those trash tier, dumpster fires. I'm talking about stories before The Hero's Brother. Don't bother clicking on my profile to read them. They're not there because I deleted them. They were just too embarrassing to have exist any longer than they have the right to. Most of them were just 'what if' scenarios that I didn't put much thought into plus the wish-fulfilment in my teenage self was just way too cringy.
Like, "what if Naruto used poison" then I just stole every poison ability from different sources and gave it to him. Or "what if Naruto was a Hyuuga" and that shit didn't even make any sense. Stupidest one: "what if Naruto could use Ichigo's vizard mask thing… in the Naruverse".
Yeah my point is, trash stories aren't a sin – I wrote my own fair share of garbage too. What incenses me is when that author receives feedback about why their story is bad, but they double down on how great their story is and everyone else is just a hater. If you've ever PM-ed me you would know I always take the time to discuss your criticism and thank you for your feedback. I feel like that's just standard protocol etiquette. It's shit you learn once you become an adult.
Yeah rant over. Enjoy!
The next morning Team Ten assembled at the village gates. Us three genin arrived at pretty much the same time while Asuma was already there waiting for us with a cigarette in his mouth – a tad bit too early for that don't you think, sensei? Hinata and Shino carried backpacks with everything they needed for a two week mission and so did I. I could have stored everything I brought in my inventory, but it would have been way too transparently bizarre since I had no storage scrolls on me.
Ah yes, Fuinjutsu, the technique of sealing objects, beings or chakra within another object, was undoubtedly a very useful skill. It was also a subject that I had tried learning when I was in the academy. The problem was that Fuinjutsu was fucking difficult. At least, it was for me.
The first scroll I read on the subject was titled The Fundamentals of Fuinjutsu. Turns out, the fundamentals of a subject as esoteric as Fuinjutsu was still way too complicated for a person with next to no knowledge on the topic. It was as though I was reading something written in another language. Jargon like matrixes and arrays were being thrown around by the author of the text as if they expected a complete beginner to understand what was written even without a glossary of terms.
Imagine reading a textbook on advanced quantum mechanics when you were still learning that one plus one equalled two – that was how I felt leafing through the Fuinjutsu textbook. Worst thing was, I didn't even receive any INT stat gains because I couldn't absorb the information in the scroll.
I knew that I wasn't exactly the smartest guy around, but I had assumed with an INT stat as high as I had, I could at least be somewhat proficient in Fuinjutsu. I was wrong. If I had to justify my complete and utter lack of talent in the sealing arts, it would be that some people had a natural gift for seals while others just couldn't comprehend a single iota of the technique.
Sure it sounded simple enough on paper; but once you got into the nitty gritty details, the science and mathematical equations behind it, then none of it made sense! Even something as simple as storage seals was mystifyingly complicated. Space folding and pocket dimensions were the basics of Fuinjutsu… how the fuck was anyone, let alone a twelve year old, supposed to be well versed in such incomprehensible concepts?
My miserable lack of talent in the subject could possibly be attributed to my comprehension and familiarization of conventional physics. Basic conservation of mass and energy, and three dimensional space was what I was used to. But Fuinjutsu required you to throw every preconceived notion of how the world was supposed to work out the window and start to lay a new foundation of universal ideas.
It was no wonder people like Naruto and Jiraiya excelled in the art since it required a unique perspective and understanding of the world that did not conform to traditional conventions in order for one to acquire an expertise in the subject. One would require a real flair for the study of runes and seals to become proficient. Others like the Sandaime probably brute forced their way through pure memorization into learning Fuinjutsu.
My INT was as of yet not high enough to do something similar. Runic script looked like squiggly lines to me that appeared more like a madman's incoherent doodles rather than an established language writing system that it was supposed to be. I could only hope that in the future when my INT, and by extension my cognitive abilities, were high enough that I could begin similarly brute forcing my way into learning Fuinjutsu.
For now however, I would have to rely on a good old rucksack to carry my belongings. Silver lining, being encumbered from my backpack constituted as physical training so I could probably get stats from that too.
"G'mornin' sensei." Hinata blearily greeted while stifling a yawn and rubbing the sleep from a corner of her eye. It seemed that she was perhaps too excited last night and as a result she couldn't get enough sleep or something. Cute.
Asuma waved us over before taking one last puff from his cigarette, littering it on the ground and extinguishing the butt with the sole of his sandal.
"Morning," He replied, "Good that you're all early. The client isn't here yet, so I'll take this time to brief you on the mission details before he arrives. We have been tasked with escorting the client, Kurokawa Yoshiro, to the Land of Fire's Capital city. The mission duration will be at most two weeks if nothing unexpected occurs, though I do not expect anything out of the ordinary either."
"Now I must warn you – there was considerable resistance for a genin team as green as you three to take a C-ranked mission only a month after graduation. The usual standard is at least two to three months of D-rank missions before a team is even qualified to receive any higher rank missions. But, fortunately for you, our employer is an old friend of mine who specifically requested for me, and by extension, you. And I reported that I believed the three of you are ready to take this mission."
Asuma narrowed his eye in a rare display of authority and adamance, "Do not prove me wrong. Is that understood?"
""Hai Sensei!"" The seriousness in his voice woke us up from our drowsiness and we refocused our ourselves.
He continued, satisfied with our response, "I expect the three of you to be on your best behavior. Remember, mission completion is only one aspect of our job. Professionalism brings back return customers. Treat the client with respect and be polite. We are professional shinobi, so the least we can do is be courteous to the man paying our wages."
"Nobody in the village will openly say this out loud, but Konoha and the service it provides is ultimately a business. Meaning profit making is largely why we exist. Of course we do not participate nor tolerate the more heinous requests like human trafficking or narcotics distribution, nor requests that would be against the interest of our village and the Land of Fire. However, there is more at stake than just a mission reward whenever we accept a request; Konoha's reputation is on the line here too."
"The reason why we are so prosperous and widely recognized as the strongest hidden village is not just a matter of military might, though that definitely plays a significant role too. Rather, it is our reputation as a trustworthy, responsible and competent hidden village that attracts business from those that can afford our services."
I blinked, not really expecting an impromptu lecture from Asuma first thing in the morning but listened attentively regardless. I was sure that the man was also anxious that he put his own reputation on the line when he recommended us to take on a C-rank mission so soon after graduation. A jounin had to take into account so many different factors during a mission, even if it was just a C-rank and that was not to mention bringing three green genin along as well. So I could hardly fault him for being strict.
"Without going too deeply into the economics of the village, C-ranked missions are not as profitable as one would imagine, especially not if an elite jounin like myself is participating in it. Now, I'm not bragging here; it is a simple matter of opportunity costs. The time I spent on a simple escort mission could be used for a more lucrative assignment that would bring in more than ten times the income."
"But to get those high-paying jobs, we have to do less-rewarding work that improves our marketshare in the shinobi industry. Thus, C-ranked missions are generally more for the purpose of building a reputation, attracting new clients and training novice shinobi like you. That is not to say that they aren't important, because they still bring in a substantial income for the village, though not nearly as much as say A or even B ranked missions."
"Now, before we head out of the village, the very first time for some of you I'm sure, there are some things I need you to understand." Asuma's voice took on a more grave tone, "Things outside the safe and secure walls of our village are not nearly as idyllic as the life you have experienced in Konoha. I don't think the three of you needs me to reinforce just how dangerous being complacent is. Just because you're shinobi who knows how to use chakra doesn't mean that you are invincible. Just… remember that you're not that special outside of these walls. There are plenty of enemy operatives out there who have very real grudges against our village over past conflict and being careless can only lead you to an early grave."
The three of us exchanged looks, flummoxed at our sensei's sudden solemnity. It was strangely bizarre seeing the man who was usually a laidback, carefree individual adopt such a stern demeanour. I could kind of understand where he was coming from though. We were his treasured disciples, and even if a simple C-rank mission promised little excitement, the old adage that is Murphy's Law dictated that anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
As Asuma continued his lecture, elaborating on what he was expecting from us mission wise, a horse-drawn carriage approached us. The carriage itself was a modest, open-air vehicle that was being pulled by a single horse.
Two men were on the carriage; one, the driver, a nondescript coachman presumably of civilian origin, and the other was the passenger, a man roughly the same age as Asuma, dressed in luxurious looking robes and whose fingers were decorated with simple but expensive looking rings. He, the client I presumed, wore clothes that looked like the man was trying to impress, rather than for any purposes of comfort or practicality.
The carriage stopped near us, and the passenger alighted before throwing his arms out while approaching our team, "Asuma! How have you been my friend?"
The jounin returned a smile and embraced the man for a moment before coming apart, "Worse now that you're here."
The client feigned a hurt expression, "And after I went through the trouble of dismissing the mercenaries I had hired so that I could hire you instead? You wound me, Asuma."
"Yeah, yeah, cry me a river. You got an elite jounin for the price of a C-rank mission. You're a merchant through and through." The jounin shot back teasingly.
The man chuckled, "Hey, penny-pinching is the foundation of any successful businessman."
Internally I scoffed at their exchange. So much for maintaining professionalism and staying courteous to the client. And as they spoke, I received a system notification – it was a quest alert. Odd that it took this long to be generated since they were usually created the moment our sensei accepted a mission for us.
Quest Alert!
[To the Capital]:
Successfully escort Kurokawa Yoshiro to the Capital!
Ensure no harm comes to Yoshiro before he arrives at the Capital
?
?
Rewards:
+20000 EXP
?
?
Failure:
REP significantly decreased with Sarutobi Asuma
C-rank missions locked for three months
Right off the bat, the EXP reward for the quest was just spectacular, it would guarantee at least one or more level ups instantly upon mission completion, and that was excluding any bonus rewards from the hidden objectives. However, that was also admittedly concerning. Because unless such a high quest reward was the average for C-rank missions, it might possibly mean that something was up with the mission. This was my first C-rank mission so I couldn't tell, but either way I wasn't about to let down my guard for the duration of the mission.
The two continued exchanging barbs before sharing a laugh as Asuma gestured towards us.
"Come Yoshiro, meet my team. They may look tiny, but trust me, they're definitely one of the best genin teams in the village."
The man turned to us, and if I had to use one word to describe the man it would be handsome. He had clear, sharp eyes and striking features. Yoshiro didn't fit the mainstream appeal of what was considered attractive, but he definitely possessed a certain je ne sais quos that enhanced his appeal. If I could see the man's stats, it would probably read that his CHA was around 100 or something.
"Nice to meet you all. My name is Kurokawa Yoshiro, and I'm sure I will be tremendously satisfied with your performance. Please take care of me. Pardon my previous rudeness, I was overcome with nostalgia upon meeting your sensei. He has saved my life once or twice, you know?"
"Pfft, try three times." The snide comment from Asuma was ignored by the client.
We bowed in return and I spoke for the team, "There is no need, Kurokawa-dono. My name is Shinji Ikari, on my left is Hyuuga Hinata and my right is Aburame Shino. We are at your service."
Yoshiro laughed, "Oh my, how polite. You have taught them well, Asuma. And please, there's no need for formalities, you can just call me by my name."
Asuma stepped in with a hand on the merchant's shoulder, "Alright, enough pleasantries. We should get going, daylight's burning."
With that, we suspended our conversation and Yoshiro took his seat on the carriage while the rest of us positioned ourselves around the carriage in a diamond formation. Asuma took the position of vanguard such that he would be the first to respond to any threat we would meet on the road while Hinata and Shino, our tracking and capture specialists, took the position of left and right flank. Their respective abilities allowed them to perform the role of both reconnaissance and guard duty at the same time.
As for me, I shored up the rear guard as the quote unquote long-ranged specialist, though I would argue that I was much more proficient in a taijutsu exchange than throwing around ninjutsu.
It was in this formation that Team Ten escorted our client, Kurokawa Yoshiro, out the village gates and onwards to the Capital in our very first C-rank Mission.
It has been some time since we left the village. The road to the Land of Fire's Capital city from Konoha was littered with small villages and other supply outposts. It was a road with moderately heavy traffic taken by travellers, merchants and craftsmen. There was even a large town at the halfway mark between Konoha and the Capital where we encountered quite a few other Konoha shinobi either on the way back to the village or stationed there permanently.
Coincidentally, I even found a shop there selling weapons and other tools with a signboard that wrote 'Kotetsu no Ryuu'. Naturally, I did not enter the shop no matter how curious I was.
The mission was initially estimated to take at most two weeks, taking into account a week's travel from Konoha to the Capital at the pace of a civilian walking on foot. However, since our client had procured a horse-drawn carriage for himself, we could travel at a much faster pace than we would have walking.
It was our third day on the road and at our current pace we would reach the Capital city the next evening. We haven't really needed to camp out in the woods at all ever since we left Konoha since there were the occasional inns that we could rest in, which suited the client's preference just fine. He was a merchant who was used to a certain standard of comfort and civilization, so camping out in the woods was a last resort for the man.
The journey was largely uneventful without encountering any surprises on the road. We were travelling on the main highway between a hidden village and the Capital city of one of the five largest and most powerful nations on the continent – no bandits or marauders would be foolish enough to throw their lives away trying to rob travellers on a road that was regularly patrolled by Konoha shinobi or the Daimyo's own soldiers.
Punitive expeditions consisting of the Daimyo's troops were also occasionally sent out to clear the surrounding land of bandits and thieves, so crimes were few and far between. Generally, even civilians could make their way between Konoha and the Capital city unmolested by any of the more criminal persuasion.
We were only hired as by Yoshiro as a precautionary measure. After all, it was better to have shinobi bodyguards and not need them, rather than having to need us not having hired us. Even then, it wasn't cost efficient to be hiring professional shinobi to serve as bodyguards to travel on this road. Mercenary fighters, who were just a step up above hired thugs, were more than sufficient.
But Asuma had been requested by the client for old times' sake as he had put it. So we were lucky, in a sense. Yoshiro had elaborated that he originally hired mercenary escorts but dismissed them after hearing that Asuma was in Konoha training a genin team. So he released the mercenaries from their contract, even at the expense of having to pay the full amount for a job only half done, to hire Asuma and us instead.
Regardless, we performed our duties at a standard that was expected of professional shinobi belonging to the greatest of the hidden villages. Shino constantly sent out several Kikaichuu to perform reconnaissance while Hinata activated her Byakugan every so often to scan our surroundings just in case. Though I lacked the monitoring abilities of the Hyuuga and Aburame, I had superhuman senses owing to my perk [Heightened Senses], so I could still keep an eye and ear out for any potential trouble even if it weren't at the level of my teammates.
Asuma was content with just leading the way and acting as a major deterrent to any would be troublemakers. The forehead protector engraved with Konoha's symbol coupled with the dark green jounin vest signalled to other travellers that he was an individual to be reckoned with. Even the most clueless civilians would be able to recognize a monster in human form just from the way Asuma carried himself and the outward pressure of a crouching tiger he exuded.
Currently, we were on our way to an inn that would be our last accommodations before we arrived at the Capital city. Throughout the journey, since there was barely anything happening, the genin passed the time by talking to Yoshiro. He was a worldly merchant who had travelled across the lands, and thus had plenty of stories and experiences he could share with us.
Yoshiro explained that he went to Konoha to meet a trading partner from the Land of Wind, in order to finalize a trading agreement. With the meeting a success and a contract signed, he was now heading back to the Capital to start working.
The merchant then shared that he was originally from the Land of Noodles, south of the Land of Wind. He made his first bucket of gold exporting seafood to the land locked Land of Wind before making his way to the Land of Fire, the most prosperous of the elemental nations. Yoshiro subsequently set up a business in the Land of Fire's Capital city with the goal of seeking further riches and success.
However, he found himself being only one of many, many merchants and traders who arrived at the Land of Fire's Capital with the same ambitions. Initially, he encountered difficulty trying to establish himself in a market already saturated with people like him. However, he was able to rely on his good looks and charm to attract the attention of a widowed Kizoku baroness in the Capital and subsequently received her patronage.
With the backing of a Kizoku noble and her financial support, he was able to set up a firm foundation in the Land of Fire's markets and achieve further success trading goods to and from other nations.
I was surprised to find Yoshiro proudly sharing the sacrifices he had to make in order to achieve his current success as a merchant. He wasn't ashamed that he basically had to perform the duties of a gigolo for an older woman and in return receive financial support. The man had added that many others were envious of his position, and would kill to take his place, thus he was not at all ashamed of his actions. In fact, he took some pride in his appearance and charm that was found attractive by one of the wealthy Kizoku.
Although, I was initially confused by the term he had used, 'Kizoku', and so I asked him to elaborate. Yoshiro explained that Kizoku was a catch-all term used to refer to the nobility. There were several categories organized under the court nobility: In order of hierarchy, Koshaku, the dukes and duchesses, Hakushaku, the counts, countesses and earls, Shishaku, viscounts, and Danshaku, the barons.
These were four of the five aristocratic titles conferred on to or inherited by the nobles. The last of the nobility were the princes and princesses, who was instead categorized under the royal Kazoku. They were separately organized as these were titles that were limited to the royal family and stood at the top of the political food chain in the Daimyo's court.
I was immensely intrigued by the explanation, since I had never really given much thought to the system of power in the nations, only focusing on my own personal growth and strength. The world outside of Konoha was much more complicated than I had once thought.
Ultimately, however, such matters were not relevant, nor would it affect me in the near future, so I quickly pushed the thought to the back of my mind. It was an interesting explanation but as a shinobi I was pretty much almost entirely divorced from the court intrigue and schemes for power.
It was nearly sundown when we arrived at our destination for the day, a large but modest comfortable inn located a day's travel from the Capital city. It was packed with other travellers making their way either to or from the Capital, but the inn keeper already knew that it was a popular resting spot for weary travellers, so the inn was expanded to be able to house more than a hundred guests concurrently.
After hitching the horse and carriage, we got three rooms; one would be taken by Yoshiro alone, the other shared by Asuma and the driver, while the last would be shared between the three genin. This was the usual arrangement whenever we stayed overnight at an inn. Since Yoshiro was expected to pay for all of our travel expenses, which naturally included accommodations and meals, paying for three rooms was the most the penny-pinching merchant would tolerate.
Even if he had a good relationship with Asuma, profit making was still at the forefront of the merchant's mind. He had plainly stated that paying for three rooms was already out of consideration for his old friend. As professionals, we could hardly complain since it was already a great deal better than having to sleep out in the open. Truth be told, many clients would have refused to pay for more than they had to and would have insisted the shinobi bodyguards to stay outside his window or something for protection.
The first night, Hinata had sputtered and stammered incoherently upon learning that she had to share a room with two boys. But she quickly calmed down and accepted the situation pretty easily, albeit still blushing crimson red. Yoshiro had taken one look and laughed, commenting that it was great to be young. I agreed. If Hinata was older, I might have some resistance sharing a room with her too.
After we brought Yoshiro's luggage to his room, we went down to get dinner. The inn was not just a place to stay, it also functioned as a restaurant and tavern for travellers. There were roughly two dozen other travellers who were having their own meals as well. We even spotted a team of Sunagakure shinobi who looked to be escorting their own client.
Asuma exchanged a cordial nod with them before warning us to refrain from approaching any foreign shinobi when out on a mission, even if they were allies. One could never know if we had conflicting mission objectives that would cause either party to disregard that alliance.
I wondered to myself if these Suna shinobi knew of the upcoming plan to invade Konoha during the chuunin exams. Probably not. They were too far down the chain of command to be privy to such sensitive information.
We sat down to take our meal, a humble offering consisting of just plain rice and some side dishes. Contrary to his appearance, Yoshiro did not have extravagant tastes when it came to the food he ate. To him, food taken in private, that is, not in the company of other distinguished figures, was purely for the sake of nutritional sustenance. His clothes, while ostentatious, was worn entirely for the sake of keeping up appearances. It seemed to me that the merchant was not a stranger to hardship nor the inconveniences of poverty.
As Yoshiro lifted up a cup of tea to take a sip, Asuma's eyes suddenly sharpened and without warning his hand flashed forward with the chopsticks he was holding. The ends of the chopstick stopped an inch above the cup of tea Yoshiro was about to drink from.
We were all taken aback by the sudden action of the jounin before I caught sight of a bead of silvery liquid accurately caught by Asuma's chopsticks. I looked at the space above the tea cup to find a thin thread leading up to the ceiling and through a tiny hole made in the wooden boards that was the floor of the second storey.
I then realized that the drop of liquid must have flowed down the thread silently and nondescriptly. If not for Asuma's perceptiveness and quick actions, the liquid, presumably poison or something similarly nefarious, would have entered the tea cup and be drunk by Yoshiro with no one the wiser.
The atmosphere at the dinner table suddenly turned tense as Asuma eyed the hole from which the thread had emerged. "Hinata." He quietly instructed while motioning for Shino and me to assume defensive formations around the client.
Yoshiro was confused beyond measure and was about to ask what was going on before Asuma gestured for him to stay silent and keep his head down.
"Two men, dressed in black, exiting the eastern window. One of them is holding a small vial." Hinata promptly reported with her Byakugan active.
Asuma turned to us, momentarily contemplating the next course of action, looking throughout the room at the rest of the occupants before his eyes landed on me. "I am giving chase. Shinji, you're in charge. Escort Yoshiro to his room and stay there until I return. Do not, for any purposes, leave the client alone."
Not bothering to wait for a response, Asuma dashed out of the inn in pursuit of the assassins.
Had I not been through multiple life and battles through dungeon boss fights, or had I not possessed [Gamer's Mind], I might have been frozen with indecision at the sudden turn of events. But I was able to remain coolheaded enough to call out orders.
"Hinata, continue surveillance. Shino, defensive perimeter. Yoshiro-san, please come with us. Quickly." I moved to lift the client from his seat, who still couldn't figure out what was happening.
My eyes flickered to the Sunagakure shinobi, the group I recognized to be the biggest threat in the room. But they appeared indifferent, seemingly not even having noticed what just happened. To make sure of their innocence, I casted [Observe] on the group, and saw nothing out of place. They were a group of three veteran genin and two chuunin but none of them appeared a match for me.
Seeing that there were no obvious immediate threats in our vicinity, Team Ten quickly escorted Yoshiro up the stairs and to his room.
Once the client was in his room, Shino posted a swarm of kikaichu on all possible points of entry, namely the door and the window, while Hinata maintained concentration on scanning the surroundings with her doujutsu. I remained next to the client who I had crouching in one corner of the room.
I focused my senses and tensed my body, ready to act at any moment.
"What in the world is going on!?" Yoshiro demanded, slowly losing patience for our behavior. I thought that a merchant as experienced as he would have recognized the danger he was in, but I guess not.
"We think that there might have been an attempt at your life, Yoshiro-san. Asuma-sensei has gone off in pursuit of the assassins. Don't worry, we will keep you safe." I answered quietly, my eyes never moving away from the window which was the most likely point of attack for any would-be assailants.
"A-Assassins? Why would there be someone after my life!?" The merchant questioned, but it was not a question I had an answer to. I glanced at him, searching his face to see if he was acting. I suspected that this might be a situation similar to the Wave mission, wherein Tazuna had lied about the mission difficulty so that he had to pay less. Such a motive would track with the merchant's stingy personality.
But I could not detect any deception in his expressions. Either Yoshiro was a world-class actor, or he genuinely had no idea who or why someone would be seeking his death.
"I don't know. For now we will need you to remain calm while we figure things out. Asuma-sensei will soon be back, and hopefully he will have some answers for us." I replied, turning my gaze back to the window.
At that moment, Hinata suddenly spoke up, "Four armed men approaching, dressed in black. Two are going for the door and two scaling up the wall for the window."
I furrowed my brows. "Shinobi?"
"…I don't think so. They are scaling the walls with shinobi shuko (metal claws), but their chakra reserves are paltry."
"Okay. Hinata, Shino, you two take the ones coming up the window. I will handle the other two."
"Understood." The two of them acknowledged before Hinata settled into the traditional Gentle Fist stance while a swarm of kikaichuu emerged from under Shino's clothes and flew out the window. Hinata.
I readied myself infront of the door, my eyes closed but ears focused, listening intently for any movement in the corridor. A pair of muffled footsteps approached the room - I could distinguish the faint sound of their shoes wrapped in cloth to minimize unnecessary noise.
The moment they reached the door, my eyes flashed open, and chakra surged through my arm and fingers. Forming a spearhand, I thrusted my arm through the door and directly into the chest cavity of the assailant, my fingers reinforced with chakra and [Shinkyoken] puncturing and destroying his heart. A muffled scream from the victim did little to hide their demise. It was a near instant death.
I withdrew my arm and blasted the door off its hinges with a strong kick. I heard an exclamation in surprise coming from Yoshiro behind me, but I ignored it. The door had flown forward, slamming my first victim against the wall before both the door and the assassin fell to the ground. I stepped out of the room, my eyes finding purchase on who was to be my second victim looking wide-eyed at his fallen compatriot.
Now that I had a good look at the assassins, I could see that they were dressed in black clothes and similarly masked with a black scarf. Honestly, they looked like the stereotypical version of what a ninja actually would actually look like in my previous life.
An instinctual [Observe] brought up his information for me. He was only level 17, with a max CP well below the average of any shinobi of the same level. A threat to an untrained merchant, but to me he was less threatening than one of the zombie minions I faced in the rank E dungeon.
The assassin thrusted a dagger at me, but in my eyes his movement was so slow I didn't even need to even utilize [Chakra Enhancement] to strengthen my physical capability.
My arm flew forward, sliding against his extended arm. Though the assailant admirably attempted to fend me off, it was an exercise in futility since I moved faster than the man could even react and stuck out a thumb that pierced in to his shoulder. My thumb, coated in chakra and strengthened from [Shinkyoken], crushed one of his acupoints and disabled any further use of his right arm.
With my other arm, I grabbed his one remaining good arm and twisted it behind him. I kicked the back of his legs and forced him to his knees before knocking him out with a solid chop to the back of his neck. After confirming that he was under the [Unconscious] debuff in his status page, I returned to the room to see Yoshiro still cowering at the corner of the room while Shino and Hinata had already neutralized the threats.
One of them was unconscious on the ground while the other was on his knees, his arms above him in a show of surrender and a kunai poised at his throat courtesy of Shino.
In just a span of five seconds, we had neutralized four assailants. It wasn't exactly the epitome of efficiency and competency, but for a team of greenhorn genin, it was pretty impressive.
My teammates turned to me, glad to see that I was unharmed and dragging two unmoving bodies behind me into the room though their eyes immediately moved to my blood soaked hand.
"S-Shinji-kun! Your hand!" Hinata exclaimed, moving towards me with worry.
I released the two bodies which slumped to the ground before waving her off, "I'm fine, it's not my blood."
"O-oh, I'm glad. Right, of course Shinji-kun wouldn't have any trouble with these lowlifes." Her words had a more biting tone that I expected from the usually gentle girl, but I shrugged it off.
Now that the fight was over, I had time to notice the system notifications that had appeared during the commotion.
+854 EXP
Huh, I had always assumed that only creatures from dungeons gave EXP, but I guess all beings would give EXP. Defeating enemies did nothing, I had to actually take their life for there to be EXP rewarded.
Right… I killed a person. Oddly enough however, I couldn't care much about it. I wasn't sure if it was [Gamer's Mind] suppressing a mental breakdown or if I was just desensitized from killing so many already in dungeons, but the act of killing didn't affect me much.
I knew what needed to be done, and even if I disliked it, it was a life I had chosen. One didn't need to love killing, one just had to love the people they were killing for.
The second and third system notification were slightly more surprising.
Congratulations! You have killed your first human!
You have received the title [Murderer]!
[Murderer]: +10% damage dealt to humans.
I didn't really know what to feel about the title I received. On one hand, the effect of the title was pretty good. Since I was mostly going to fight other humans in this world, the ten percent extra damage would apply to most of my enemies. But receiving the label of murderer when I had killed in self-defence was slightly unnerving.
Through the effects of [Lifesaver], you have earned +1 Point.
I had nearly forgotten that I had the [Lifesaver] perk that gave me a free stat point every time I saved a life. Turns out, within the safe walls of Konoha, there were hardly any opportunities to save a person's life. I didn't trigger its effects even once ever since I received the perk, but it seemed that the system had judged that I had saved Yoshiro's life, thus it rewarded me with the free stat point.
It was arguable that even without me being present, Hinata and Shino would have been more than enough to neutralize the threat to Yoshiro's life. Unless… had I not been on this team, might another team have taken the mission instead and without an elite Jounin like Asuma present would they have missed the initial droplet of poison? So through the laws of causality was it a direct consequence of my existence that Yoshiro's life was saved?
Nope. I'm not going to dive head first into this rabbit hole. I saved a life, the system granted me a free stat point. That was all I need to know. As the saying goes, don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Nothing would come of me over analysing how the system worked. If the system generously rewarded me with something, then I'll just gratefully accept the gift and say thank you.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the captured assailant move his hands slightly but stopped when he felt the sting of the kunai against his throat press deeper into his skin.
"Stop." Shino apathetically mentioned.
I went forward and unmasked the man before widening my eyes at the sight of a capsule between his teeth. He smiled and bit down on the pill, its contents immediately flowing down his gullet. "Too late, shinobi." He choked out.
I was slightly shocked at the complete lack of self-preservation instincts in the assassin. It reminded me of Danzo's ROOT agents, except it couldn't have been the old war hawk. He wasn't the type to send well-trained but chakra-less operatives to do a job his own shinobi could. It'd be pointless.
Smirking, my hand moved to his throat and green medical chakra flowed into his gullet, "Did you think it was going to be that easy?".
"Wh-what are you-?"
The poison in the capsule was only just consumed, it had yet to reach his stomach to be dissolved and distributed to his bloodstream. That meant that I still could easily remove the toxins with medical ninjutsu.
I traced my hand up his throat, to his jaw and pulled out the captured poison trapped in my medical ninjutsu chakra. It was the same silvery substance they had tried to lace Yoshiro's tea with. Most likely a fast-acting, fatal poison designed to achieve a quick death through suicide. Because the alternative, as in interrogation and torture, was much more unbearable than a quick death.
Upon seeing the futility of his suicide attempt, the assassin went crazy and tried dashing towards Yoshiro, in a last ditch effort to complete his mission. He didn't make it half a step before my hand reached out and gripped his face before slamming his head into the ground and knocking him unconscious.
"Shino, Hinata, check their bodies for any more of those suicide pills or other hidden weapons."
As they rummaged through the clothing of the unconscious assailants, Asuma landed on the window sill of the inn's room carrying two more of those assassins over his shoulder.
He saw the results of our short battle and smiled with palpable pride then turned to our client, "Yoshiro, we need to talk."
After dealing with the inn-owner and handing over some compensation for the broken door, we left the inn which was now no longer a safe place to stay the night. Asuma made the call to travel through the night. Keeping us on the move would make us a more difficult target, he reasoned.
However, not before we questioned the five remaining assassins, which brings us to now.
One of the assassins woke up from a tight slap. I could see him blearily come back into consciousness as he adjusted to his surroundings. The man was currently tied to a tree, stripped to his underwear to ensure he had no access to any hidden equipment we did not find.
Asuma gripped the front of the man's hair and slapped him again, leaving a nasty red palm print where the jounin had hit him twice.
He had requested for me to stay and watch while Hinata and Shino kept guard over the other prisoners, claiming that though it might be too soon for something like this for our first C-ranked mission, it would be better to get accustomed to the more unpleasant side of our business sooner rather than later.
We had separated the prisoners and intended to interrogate them one at a time. Not only would it prevent them from sharing information, but we could also possibly play some mind games with the isolated assassins.
"What is your name?" Asuma asked coldly.
As the man regained his senses and realized he was nearly naked and bound, he understood what situation he was in. He stared indifferently at the jounin but remained silent. There was no fear in his expression, as if he was unafraid of death.
"Who sent you?" The Sarutobi repeated yet received dead silence once more.
Asuma slammed a fist into the bound prisoner, sending him reeling and coughing from the impact. The jounin had held himself back - the punch was heavy enough to cause pain but not enough to cause any internal injuries.
"I will not ask again. Who sent you?"
The prisoner looked up before spitting at my sensei. Asuma agilely leaned away from the projectile, and shook his head, "Wrong answer." before he sent another fist careening into the jaw of the captive.
Seeing that the 'gentle' approach wasn't working, Asuma fished out a kunai and brandished it menacingly.
"I know how to kill a man over a hundred different ways with this thing. I know a thousand more ways to make them hurt without them dying." He leaned in real close and stared coldly into the prisoner's eyes. "Last chance."
The prisoner chuckled, "The Sun shines eternal."
Asuma froze and tilted his head in shock, "You… what did you just say?"
The tied-up assassin flinched and looked up at Asuma's face, almost as if only now taking in the appearance of his captor and realizing his identity. "You're one of the Twelve…"
The jounin grabbed the assailant's throat and hissed out, "You said the Sun shines eternal. What did you mean by that?"
The prisoner's eyes flickered, scanning Asuma's facial expression, but I could sense a tinge of regret, like he knew he just messed up. He tightened his lips, determined not to say a single word more.
Asuma thrusted the kunai an inch deep into the man's body, near his clavicle, which prompted a muffled scream of pain. From what I could see, the kunai was stabbed into one of the body's nerve clusters, stimulation of which would result in immense pain.
"Talk!" The jounin demanded, digging the sharp end of the kunai around the wound. The prisoner suppressed the scream, the veins around his face and neck bulging crazily, but he refused to divulge any more information than he already had.
Asuma ripped out the kunai in frustration before turning back to me. His eyes held a viciousness and edge that looked out of place from the usually kind expression he adopted. "Go back to the others Shinji." He commanded, his tone leaving no room for debate.
In his hand, the distinctive swirl of wind nature chakra circulated ominously. If a kunai was like a butcher's knife, then wind nature chakra in the hands of an expert was a scalpel. I could tell that he no longer wished for me to witness what he was about to do.
"Understood."
.
.
.
Asuma returned to our makeshift encampment shortly thereafter, his uniform stained with some drops of blood. He looked like he tried his best to clean himself up but with little success.
Our other captives were still bound and unconscious, with Shino's kikaichuu constantly monitoring them to ensure we were notified if they had awakened. Yoshiro mostly kept to himself, still unnerved by the assassination attempt and mentally going through a checklist of people who might want him dead. Hinata stayed vigilant, her doujutsu occasionally being activated to survey our surroundings.
I got up and approached the man, "Asuma-sensei. What did you find out?"
He shook his head, "Nothing much. The bastard was stubborn."
Looking in the direction he had come from, I asked, "What about… did you…?"
Asuma glanced at the rest of the team who had similarly shifted their attention to the jounin before turning back to me, "Loose ends have to be tied up, otherwise there might be consequences to your inaction." The hidden meaning in his words need not be explicitly spelled out.
Seeing that he still took the time to impart a lesson even during a time like this, I could guess that he was used to being in such situations.
"Sensei, when he said, 'the sun shines eternal', did you know what he was talking about?" I probingly asked.
Asuma adopted a look of deep thought, "I… I can't be sure. For now, it's not something you need to be worried about. Just forget about it."
I nodded in acknowledgement. If the man decided that it would be wiser not to share what he suspected, then as a genin and his direct subordinate, there was no way I could refute his decision.
He walked up to one of the unconscious captives and hefted the motionless individual up on his shoulder. Time for round two, I supposed.
Before he began the entire process of questioning the assassins, Asuma had informed us of the protocols regarding battlefield interrogations. They were a necessary part of intelligence gathering -ugly, but necessary. Information warfare between two opposing sides consisted of the gathering of intelligence as well as preventing the other side from gaining any intel.
Sometimes we would capture enemy combatants who held key pieces of intelligence, without which our own forces might suffer the consequences. Hence, enhanced interrogation methods were at times needed to pry the information out of captives unwilling to divulge the needed intelligence.
There weren't really protocols, per se. Ultimately it came down to 'acquire the necessary information via whatever means necessary'. If we had the time, methods aside from torture would have been preferred to ensure the intel received was accurate and reliable. For example, prolonged periods of isolation, starvation, dehydration and sleep deprivation were all extremely effective in breaking down the will of the prisoner.
But we didn't have the luxury of time being on our side. Our client just had an attempted assassination, and those who wanted him dead might send another batch assassins as soon as they realized their first attempt failed. Lacking so much information meant that we were in the light while our enemies were in the dark, so we had to hurry.
Making it to the Capital city was one way of ensuring Yoshiro's safety. No matter how brazen the assassins were, there was no way they would dare act in the Capital since security in the city was second only to Konoha in the entirety of the Land of Fire, possibly even surpassing it.
Technically, we didn't really need to question the assassins for their motives and who hired them. Team Ten's mission was to safely escort Yoshiro to the Capital, and that was it. As long as we could ensure the client's safety up to the Capital city's gates, our mission was accomplished. However, Asuma went the extra mile to investigate the true culprits behind Yoshiro's attempted assassination as a gesture of friendship. It was an effort to ensure Yoshiro's safety even after the mission was complete.
That was also part of the professionalism Asuma had mentioned earlier – displaying the consideration and competence expected of professional, high quality mercenaries like ourselves would almost always guarantee a return customer. Even if we couldn't get the answers we needed, as long as a sincere effort was made and a certain modicum of results achieved, the client would be satisfied with our performance.
Personally, I was considerably astonished at how much went into the business side of our industry. I had always thought the demand for our services always trumped the supply, and thus Konoha could maintain a steady stream of income regardless of our performance. However, Sunagakure was a good example of poor management. Even if the Kazekage was an extremely powerful shinobi in his own right, it didn't matter if their village had a bad reputation that turned off potential clients.
It put a whole different perspective on the Suna-Oto invasion of Konoha that was going to happen in half a year's time. The reason that had been offered for Suna's participation in the pre-planned invasion was due to a series of budget-cuts by the Daimyo of the Land of Wind which resulted in an economic recession for the Suna. However, budget cuts weren't the root cause of their financial problems. After familiarizing myself with the business side of running a hidden village, I could guess that the fundamental reason for their budget cuts was the result of a poor reputation and lack of professionalism in their shinobi services. At least, when compared to Konoha that is.
One had to wonder why the Kazekage didn't just invade the Land of Wind's Capital city and threaten the Daimyo into giving them more money. The answer was easy enough to deduce. First off, that would just be straight up extortion and robbery. Who would want to do business with a village that was criminal enough to rob even their own ruling Daimyo? The subsequent drastic fall in reputation would only worsen their already bleak financial situation, and it would only be a short term solution to a systemic problem.
There were a multitude of reasons why the respective leaders of hidden villages didn't just take over the country, and reputation was just one of them.
Though Asuma put in the extra time and effort to ensure Yoshiro's safety out of consideration of their friendship, there was also an element of marketing Konoha's shinobi services as one that would go above and beyond what was required of us to guarantee customer satisfaction. That was what cements Konoha's reputation as the most prosperous and 'strongest' hidden village on the continent.
Konoha wasn't labelled the strongest because of any measurement of tangible strength, though the Yondaime's display of overwhelming lethality during the Third Shinobi World War and the fact that we housed the jinchuuriki of Kyuubi, the strongest Bijuu, definitely helped. Rather, we were labelled the strongest because everyone else said so.
The current Konohagakure was far from the likes of Kumogakure, objectively the strongest hidden village in this era in terms of military might. Just the fact that their jinchuuriki could exercise complete control of the Hachibi meant that Killer B was the equivalent of a tactical weapon of mass destruction. Our current jinchuuriki, Naruto, couldn't even come close to Killer B's full might, though his potential was certainly higher. But that was only the case in the future.
Yet, Konoha was still publicly identified as the strongest because we had a stellar reputation acknowledged by the people who actively employed our services. It didn't matter if we had a Kage that was well past his prime, nor that of our three Legendary Sannin, only one could still be considered as being a loyal and active agent of the village – all that mattered was public opinion, of which we had plenty in our favour.
The interrogation of the other captives, according to Asuma, proceeded in a similar vein to the very first. They were suicide soldiers, trained to kill themselves before they would ever reveal even a single iota of information. The devotion and adherence to their cause was at the level of blind fanaticism, similar to Danzo's ROOT agents, though obviously in a different category.
Some of them even tried immediately biting their tongues off the moment they woke up. Though Asuma had stopped them from taking their own lives, they still refused to talk even under the excruciating pain of torture. The jounin ultimately had to silence them, permanently, in order to remove any possibility of our location being divulged to their employers. However what little information we received also revealed more than what could be discerned on the surface.
Suicide soldiers weren't mercenaries who would prioritize their own lives over profit or loyalty. Mercenaries were paid soldiers, meaning they would only fight or carry out tasks in return for renumeration. However, they would never risk their own lives since they could not spend the money if they were dead.
Thus, suicide soldiers being sent after Yoshiro revealed that the party that wanted his life was no ordinary organization. Though certain merchant guilds and aristocratic families raised their own death squads who were wiling to die for their masters, these suicide soldiers were also treasured resources that were not flippantly utilized just to assassinate a mid-level merchant that was of little consequence in the highest-level arena these organizations were active in.
This told us that whoever sent those suicide soldiers after Yoshiro was of a scale large enough to treat death squad soldiers as expendable consumables. That heavily narrowed down the pool of potential suspects.
Furthermore, Asuma had also rationalized that given that these assassins were brazen enough to take action in the Land of Fire, not to mention so close to Konoha and the Capital city, also implied that it was likely the enemy was an influence based in the Land of Fire.
Yoshiro, for the life of him, could not think of any individual or group that he would have offended enough to warrant suicide soldiers being sent to take his life. Or at least none that had sufficient clout and resources to do so. He claimed that he was always careful not to step on the toes of any giant merchant guilds when he did business and had no relation to any foreign organizations that would have wanted him dead.
Even the most likely suspect, the trading partner from the Land of Wind he had met with in Konoha was similarly only a mid-level merchant with limited influence and power. Furthermore that man would absolutely have no reason to want him dead in the first place since their business dealings were a profitable venture for both parties.
Thus, Yoshiro was beyond perplexed. The knowledge that a powerful organization with the resources to send suicide soldiers after him to take his head was akin to a guillotine blade constantly hanging precariously over his neck, never knowing when it was going to fall. The poor man had been trembling non-stop during the last leg of our journey to the Capital city.
He repeatedly looked around, hoping, or rather dreading, to spot a hidden danger. Perhaps it was also the awareness that he now had to live as a paranoid man always looking over his shoulder and sleeping with one eye open that contributed to the tremendous anxiety undoubtedly growing within him.
As for us, there were little we could do to assuage his paranoia. Shino was already consuming his Kikaichuu at rate of thousands every hour to maintain a defensive perimeter around us and it was also unreasonable to ask Hinata to keep her Byakuugan active throughout the entire duration. Personally, I also lacked skills that could serve reconnaissance purposes if I excluded shadow clones which would consume too much CP to be cost-effective. I could only maintain a heightened sense of vigilance which amounted to not much more than paying more attention to my surroundings.
Currently, we were just under an hour away from reaching the Capital city of the Land of Fire, the end point of our mission and a bastion of safe refuge for Yoshiro. As always, I was assigned to be the rear guard of our escort formation while Asuma led the way, the reasoning being that it was more likely for any enemies to be lying in ambush ahead of us since our destination was pretty obvious.
Additionally, a shadow clone of Asuma now replaced the original driver of the carriage who we had left behind at the inn. Since we couldn't be sure of the driver's allegiances, it was wisest to leave no possibility for betrayal. The man was already paid in advance, so even if he were innocent, he could just consider his job ending earlier than expected which would be a win-win.
"How are you guys feeling?" The shadow clone who kept one eye on the road and another on us suddenly spoke up, dispelling the previously tense atmosphere. I could only assume that there was concern for our mental wellbeing, given that our C-rank mission took such a drastic turn.
"We are uninjured, Asuma-sensei. Combat functions are unimpaired. My hive reproduction rate is unaffected, though my chakra reserves are at fifty percent. " Shino concisely reported.
"That's not what I meant. I know that your first C-rank mission outside the village was probably not what you were expecting, so I want to know your mental state." The Asuma clone replied.
Both Shino and Hinata fell silent for a moment, not really knowing how to articulate their feelings. They weren't like me, who had [Gamer's Mind] to regulate their emotions and psychological resilience. Though they were clan members who have trained all their lives to eventually become a shinobi, it was their first time fighting an actual enemy combatant, so it wasn't surprising they had mixed feelings about what just went down.
Seeing the awkward silence, I took the initiative to answer, "Honestly, a little shell-shocked. I'm not a stranger to fighting, and I know it is just a normal part of our job. But it was still a little disturbing if I'm being honest."
The Asuma clone glanced at me, more specifically my right hand which had previously been thrust into the chest of an assassin, marking my first kill. "That's perfectly normal," He reassured me, "especially since you just killed for the first time."
"Right… I…" Playing the part of a greenhorn genin who had just taken his first life, I looked down casted, as though replaying the scene over and over in my head. Truth was, I moved past that whole incident pretty quickly. In my head, all I could see was an enemy who was a threat to myself and the mission. Eliminating an enemy, especially an assassin seemingly raised for the sole purpose of dying for his organization, held no particular emotional significance for me.
I knew that the normal response to killing, at least in my previous life, would be a large scoop of post-traumatic stress disorder with an unhealthy sprinkle of nightmares, vivid flashbacks and severe anxiety. However, that just wasn't the case for me. I have had plenty of time after the killing to objectively rationalize the incident and go through a mental after-action report. The only fault I could find with my action was perhaps eliminating a potential source of information prematurely.
Thus any guilt or remorse that should have been a healthy presence in my heart was simply absent.
Furthermore, in this world where the life expectancy of even normal civilians was pretty damn short, the common sense in regard to killing and fighting, especially for shinobi, was drastically different to what I was used to. It was night and day as compared to the era of peace and abundance in my previous life, or at least in the country I lived in. In this world, every single person was familiar with the concept of an early and unnatural death, so taking a life was not nearly as impact as it would be in my previous world.
"It is unhealthy to dwell on something that is a necessary component of our lives as shinobi. The first time is the hardest, it will become easier after this." Asuma advised.
Withholding a 'that's what she said' joke, I nodded mutely.
"You will eventually become desensitized to the act of taking a life. Which is fine, since it will only help you do your job better. As long as you never grow to enjoy killing, that is. There is a difference between those who kill to live, and those who live to kill. Make sure you never become the latter." The clone added.
Hinata quietly asked, "But sensei, aren't shinobi people who exist to kill?"
"Not necessarily. At times we might be required to kill in order to accomplish our mission, but our existence does not revolve around the act. Remember, just because you have to kill doesn't mean you have to enjoy it."
"I… understand." She replied.
As we continued the conversation while at the same time remaining alert to our surroundings, the walls of the Capital city slowly came into sight. Actually, the first part of the architecture that rose over the horizon was not its walls, but the tower of a massive castle in the distance.
"That," Asuma pointed out, playing the role of our tour guide, "is the citadel of the Land of Fire. The one and only seat of power of our Daimyo. That is where the Daimyo resides, as well as the imperial family and their kin. It is also where I called my workplace for a good eight years."
I looked on in astonishment at the size of the castle. Even from a distance, I could tell that it absolutely dwarfed the Hokage's tower back in Konoha. Around me, however, Shino and Hinata didn't seem to look particularly surprised.
"Have you guys been to the Capital before?" I asked them.
They nodded, Hinata turning back to me to elaborate, "Our clans regularly do business in the Capital, and there are also some formal events we are occasionally invited to. That is also where I met Lady Shijimi for the first time, though I was still very young then."
I sighed in amazement. I might have been a bigshot back on Earth, but here I was just a common genin who had little to no influence to speak of. People like Shino and Hinata were simply just higher on the social hierarchy as compared to some no-name orphan. Thinking back to when I used to rub shoulders with the most influential and powerful personages had me wondering what it would be like to do the same here. Not gonna lie, there was some part of me that still desired chasing after clout and influence at the highest level.
Sure, individual martial prowess and violent might was good and all, but there was something about standing at the very pinnacle of society and wielding both economic and political authority that spoke to me on a deeper level. Authority taken with force and respect acquired via political machinations were two different experiences. One was akin to forcing yourself on a person while the other was a methodical and thorough seduction of a desired partner. Similar end results, but completely different methods and type of gratification.
"Before we enter the city proper, I must warn you of something." Asuma suddenly spoke up. "Shino and Hinata might already be familiar with it, so this is more for your benefit, Shinji."
I perked up, listening attentively to what sage advice Asuma was about to impart.
"In the Capital city, the walls have eyes and ears. So it is very important to watch your words and behaviour when we are inside. Since we are Konoha shinobi, our every word and action are representative of our village. Saying or doing something stupid will only reflect badly on Konoha. So keep your manners and professionalism in mind. Here, you are no longer children but agents of Konoha."
I had to withhold a laugh from his words. Honestly, I was raised in an environment where our public perceptions were of the utmost importance, so I was more than familiar with maintain an immaculate public persona. And in a world where the internet was such a large part of our lives with every tweet or post being heavily scrutinized by a global audience, being careful with every word and action was a necessity.
"Also, there are certain people who might have a negative impression of us just because we are shinobi and from Konoha. Among them are powerful people we cannot afford to offend regardless of our identity. Ideally we wouldn't stay long in this den of vipers and lizards, but after what you've just been through, I think we could take a short vacation in the Capital, wouldn't you agree?"
"A vacation sounds perfect, Asuma-sensei!" I responded enthusiastically.
Little did I know that this was all just a prelude to a storm in the Land of Fire.
High up in the sky above the Capital, a pigeon soared through the air before slowly descending towards a castle. As the bird approached the open window of a tower, it landed on the extended hand of a woman cloaked in the shadow.
She removed a small slip of paper tied to the leg of the pigeon before unravelling the tiny scroll and reading its contents.
The woman frowned, before the small slip of paper erupted into flames upon a surge of fire-nature chakra being injected into the parchment, wiping any traces of the message out of existence.
She quickly turned and left the room, stalking through the darkened corridor barely illuminated by paper lanterns. The soft glow of the fire cast light upon a small tattoo of a black sun behind her left ear.
Entering a room at the end of the corridor, she fell to one knee.
"My lord, squad 112 has been wiped out."
The figure sitting at a desk in the room looked up, his face shrouded by the darkness of the room.
"What? How is that possible? Their target only had mercenary bodyguards, not even anywhere near the level of our agents!" He exclaimed in astonishment.
The woman continued, "Apparently the target hired Konoha shinobi for escorts. They were the ones who prevented the assassination and killed squad 112. We can assume that the target has already reached the Capital city by now."
The shadowy figure leaned forward, the bottom half of his face slowly coming into the light, revealing pale skin, a sharp chin and darkened lips curved into a frown. He stroked his chin with his hand, showing fingernails similarly darkened like his lips.
"Why did squad 112 engage despite knowing there were shinobi?" He asked, a cold anger seeping out of his lips.
The woman trembled, "This… Our agents have been taught to complete the mission no matter what. I can only assume that-"
"Enough." He cut her off causing the woman to flinch.
"Why did he hire shinobi? Could he have known we were after his life?" The man wondered aloud. "A coincidence, perhaps? Possible..."
The woman remained in her kneeling position, staying silent as her superior thought to himself.
Finally, the man gestured towards the woman, "Regardless, the purpose has been achieved even if the assassination failed. It would still serve as a stern warning towards that woman. Send a message to her. She will know what to do."
"Yes my lord." As she stood up and gave a parting bow, the man raised his hand to stop her.
"One more thing. Contact his highness. Inform him that he can start exerting pressure on the lower court."
A little subtle (not) foreshadowing for you here. Wow, much ominous, very forebode.
Chapter Breakdown
Fuinjutsu is such a broken branch of ninjutsu in the Naruto world, and even more so it is super unexplained. One has to suspend their disbelief and set aside the more inconsistent aspects of sealing techniques when reading about it. Like, oh just write a bunch of kanji, string them together, and voila – smash a hole in the space-time continuum just cause you can.
That's also why so many fanfic authors love to use seals as a deus ex machina style plot device that can solve any problem the protagonist encounters. Personally, I tend to get turned off by snarky authors who're like "this is how you use Fuinjutsu, ninjas all lack common sense *adjusts glasses*." Like somehow the protagonist of their story (Naruto or OC) is the only smart person in the world while the rest are half autistic?
I don't like that. It is just too easy. Imagine Shinji gets good at seals while the gamer system boosts its effects; what problem can he not solve with seals alone? One sealing master (Naruto or whoever else) is more than enough, Shinji can take on another role. He doesn't have to be the master of all trades, just most of them.
The Naruverse should be written as a living, breathing world with tons of stuff going on outside of the main storyline. The people living in it should be written as believable characters who act according to the information that is accessible to them.
I recently read this story, not going to name which one, where Henge is an E-ranked jutsu that can physically transform the user into anything. But no one uses it properly cos all ninjas lack common sense. Bruh.
I swear, growing older also means becoming less tolerant of stupid shit like that. I don't claim to be a master writer who can flesh out every minute aspect of the Naruverse, but come on, transforming your clone into a mosquito to sneak into the enemy base while still maintaining that it is an E-ranked jutsu that no one else but the MC makes use of is fucking stoooopid and just lazy writing.
Granted, I dropped the story after the second chapter just because I couldn't stand how snarky the author was trying to be, so I haven't gotten the full picture. But am I the asshole here? I feel like I'm going to receive some hate for shitting on fanfiction that is probably written by hopeful teenagers.
Anyways, rant over.
The assassination attempt depicts what happens when regular people, even if highly trained, clashes against actual ninjas. It's just an entirely different level of strength and expertise.
I don't want to reveal too much about the plot at this point, but during the interrogation I was really trying to go for a 'Hail Hydra' kind of vibe haha; did it feel that way? The interrogation scene was kinda weird to write, cos the question in my head the whole time was 'how will a jounin sensei realistically deal with involving his students in torture and interrogation'. I tried my best to portray that while at the same time not bogging the whole story down with Asuma's rationalization of the whole situation.
And I also tried to get through the whole 'boo hoo first kill, I'm now traumatised' portion of every Naruto fanfic real quick. Like, I get that killing is bad and all, and it will often damage the psyche of the person doing the killing. But like that's in real life? It made more sense to me that in the Naruverse killing and getting killed is an integral part of the common sense of the world. Your first kill might be abit more special, but you shouldn't get traumatized from it.
I was rather hesitant writing a brand new original mission in lieu of the traditional Wave mission. Mainly the concern is the lack of my ability to accurately depict how I am imagining and visualizing what's in my head. With canon material, it's easy to visualize what authors are writing about because you already know what it is and have seen it before. With original material, I feel like I have to start getting real descriptive in order to properly portray the visual aspect of my writing if that makes sense?
Yeah, that's about it, hope you enjoyed the chapter! Next chapter will be exploring the Capital and revealing more about the mystery of Yoshiro's assassination attempt.
Question of the week: Do you generally prefer first person or third person narration?
I initially started writing this story in the first person perspective cause I thought it'd be easier to share what Shinji's inner thoughts are. But as I continued writing subsequent chapters, I started to get frustrated cause first person POV makes it difficult for me to show readers what other characters are thinking aside from their words and actions.
For example:
First person pov: "I assumed Asuma was concerned about our wellbeing"
Third person pov: "Asuma was worried about the wellbeing of his genin"
Questions start to pop in my head like how does Shinji know Asuma is being concerned? Does Asuma have to actually say that he is concerned out loud so that I don't have to write how Shinji can just perfectly read the other person's intentions? But there is also the unreliable narrator schtick I'm trying to go for, how do I deal with that?
As a result, I'm starting to get frustrated since third person pov just makes writing so much easier, if you get what I mean. I might start transitioning into a fully third person perspective. Let me know what you think!
Like always, thanks for reading my story and if you liked it, smash that like button and hit subscribe for more content!
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