The journey will be 4 days long due to the slow movement of the cart. If we're to run as a normal shinobi it would take less than a day to arrive. But since our main mission is to guard the merchant and the goods, we had to take our time.
Iori was bored on the first day and played with her shuriken while constantly asking the Captain if there are any enemies. "Captain is there any bandit waiting to ambush us yet? I'm totally bored as hell.!"
"No there isn't any enemies waiting for us and it's a good thing. Why does it sound like your almost wishing for an enemy to show up? Do you think it's that easy to defend our client? Your test was different because the purpose was to test you and not to kill you. I hope you learn from this. Sometimes overconfidence can kill you the least you expect it. Understand?" Iori's down mood became even deeper because of the the captain's reprimand.
"Yes Captain"
"That applies to the both of you. Hana and kuro.!"
"Yes sir! " 2x
Once the sun was giving a signs of setting. We built camp.
"Alright listen up. we'll take turn of keeping watch. But Hana and Iori will keep watch at the same time. you guys will be up till 11pm followed by kuro until 2am. I'll take my turn then until we begin our trip again at 0600. Any Questions?"
"Uhm why are Hana and I going to keep watch together but kuro is all by himself? what does this mean captain?" Iori was bothered thinking that kuro must be stronger than them if this is how ity arranged so she had to ask.
"There's no special meaning to it. Im just utilizing you guys in a way that suit you best. Kuro here is a sensor type he just confirmed that to me a week ago and I did test him. He passed it and so it will give you both time to rest together. Do you understand where I'm going with this Iori?"
"Yes, I'm sorry sensei"
"It's okay Iori. all three of you are plenty strong. So don't doubt yourself again okay?"
"Yes."
"But don't forget what I've told you this morning."
"I remember that sensei. Thank you for your guidance"
Hana and I patted Iori's shoulder.
And so just like that our first 2 days on the road was completely normal until the 3rd day. What's wrong with this world really. Why is it possible to have enemies every time a merchant travels. 'Damn you Kishimoto! You and your plot is going to get me killed.!'
'I just complained to the original author of the anime, I must be loosing my mind'
"Captain enemies ahead. About 20 of them. 2 of which seems to be have a chakra of a genin. That must be their."
"Yosh. Good job kuro. Hana , iori. Both of you come with me we are going to engage the enemy. Kuro keep watch of the merchant and his goods. I'm leaving it to you since you're a sensor, you will be able to react if there's any surprises. If there's no question let's go do formation B as discussed."
"yes sir." 3x
And off the 3 girls go to engage the enemy. 'I have to hand to you captain. although I've train enough and can't wait to unleash my new flighting style. It's still better not having to fight. I'm so glad im a sensor type.'
"will they be fine? they are all girls. are you not going to help? where're your manners young man? for you to let the ladies do all the work?"
"what are you talking about.? each of them is a monster of their own. they'll be fine. I'm staying to look out for any surprise attack so you won't die while we're fighting. So just sit there and relax. Understand Eric the merchant?" oops made a mistake on his name
"It's Snow Eric. not 'the merchant'. snow is my surname."
"hai hai, now be quiet and enjoy the show from here"
While kuro was getting comfortable at cart with the merchant. The 3 girls are already getting ready to engage the bandits.
"Hey pretty ladies wanna have some good time with us. don't worry we will give you the best time ever. what so you say ladies? " all of them were grinning and underestimating my team. 'RIP bandits' were the thoughts of kuro when he heard the leader speak to his team
the 3 girls has veins about to pop from their head. and then I heard captain's order. "Hana, Iori. Slaughter them!"
Boom! captain and Hana took of and beat the daylight out of the goons using. while Iori used her shuriken jutsu to strike the enemies going for the 2's back.
2 guys were left dumbfounded at this sight. They must be the leaders. "tsk useless idiots. What do you say we kill the older one and share younger one between us?" asked one to the other
"I couldn't agree more with that, let's go"
they engage Hana with their weapons. which looks like a Chinese broadsword.
Captain only used a kunai to defend against them and was actually not pushed back at all. Hana assisted her with her own kunai and the tables turned. The 2 bandits made some distance and slashed their broadsword.
"Wind sword style: Wind cutter" both of them chanted together.
2 wind blade came rushing to Hana and Udon.
captain udon quickly weaved signs to respond "Earth style: Earth wall" a thick wall of earth quickly formed in front of her and stopped the two wind blades.
Since Hana does now know any long range ninjutsu. She simply thrown and explosive kunai at the enemy. Unlike Iori with her shuriken jutsu and string combo which caught one of them. when both dodged the explosive kunai, Iori used that chance to capture one. while captain " Lightning style: Lightning bolt jutsu" a simple bolt, akin to a fireball, as opposed to being a continuous stream. On impact, the bandit suffered minor electric shocks but enough to knock him out. At the same time other screamed and fainted. Hana used Genjutsu to torture the man. 'I don't even want to know what she let the guy see'
Once they came back to the cart where Kuro was. They noticed 5 burned bodies at the back of the cart.
"what happened here kuro? is the merchant okay?"
"nothing I couldn't handle captain. Not to worry. Not even a scratch was done to our dear client: Snow Eric. isn't that right sir?" the client nodded silently with a sweat coming out his head.
"then let's move on so we can finish rhis trip."
"Yes sir!"3x
[Flashback a few minutes earlier.]
Just when the 2 leader of the bandits was about to send wind blades to his team. He sensed 5 normal bandits was about to strike at the back. They must be the reason why the 2 leaders didn't retreat even when they saw how strong the 3 girls was.
Kuro jumped down and prepared to engage the enemy while gathering chakra at the sole of his fit and fists.
The 5 bandits charged to attack him
He calmed his mind, then said
"Self taught, Shoka Gijutsu: Totsugeki!"
[AN: translate as
Flame/Fire Fighting technique: charge/onward.!]
kuro vanished from where he stands and in a blink of an eye his left fist was already on the first enemy's face from the right. with a 180 degrees turn the back of his knuckles landed on the 2nd enemy's face. he turned again to land a his fist to the 3rd's abdomen. Then he did a side kick to the 4th making the bandit fly. with his left foot in the air everything happened in just a second. the last one was surprised to see 3 of his allies unconscious and burned while he doesn't know where the other 1 is. Kuro then stomped his left foot from the air to the ground after kicking the 4th bandit. He focused his chakra to his right fist which was lowered down to his hips while his left was in an open palm to the enemy "Shoka Gijutsu: Hiken!"
[Flame/Fire Fighting Technique: FireFist!]
He vanished again in a blink of an eye and arrived at the target with his fist striking the center of the bandits body in an upward position. the bandit was caught in flames and flew over to the 4th one and both of them was burned until the kuro's chakra ran out.
When kuro went back to the cart the merchant has his jaw dropped. Then a scream was heard from the others location.
[Flashback end]
The rest of the journey eric the merchant was very polite to them. but way much more polite to kuro. When they finished their mission they got back to Konoha just as the sun was setting. The distance was really small, it was only because of the merchant and the cart that was the reason why it took them 4 days to complete the mission. Upon reporting to the Hokage, they are asked: "Will you be willing to take a back up mission? Kakashi and his team has run into an unexpected enemy. If you start your journey now, you will be able to assist them on their battle. If the report was right, they will be fighting Zabuza Momochi along with an Anbu from kirigakure which is suspected to be assisting Zabuza."
Captain Udon didn't immediately answered and turned to us. "What do you guys think? "
"Naruto is my first friend. well bow best friend. Of course I will back him up. "
"Ohh soulmate here I come" Hana seems to have a different idea
"Sigh, I just hope it won't be as boring as the last trip. Although we got to fight some in the middle of it." Iori doesn't seem to want to go but is forced to since both his teammates are going.
Udon then made up her mind.
"Hokage sama, we accept this mission."
"Very well then, Go as soon as possible to assist kakashi's team.!"
"Yes sir.!" 4x