[Year 52, Iwa/Suna Border]
Souei, Rukia, and Rasa dashed through the rocky landscape of the Land of Stone. Their forms a blur to the ordinary person as they skipped through large boulders and chasms as they made their way to their next mission.
A week after Rukia woke up and all of them made a swift recovery, Isshin called the three of them to the main tent for a briefing. To their surprise, Jun, the Suna Jonin, had finally returned from his mission that Ishito Sensei sent him on.
Apparently, the man and his team had been sent behind enemy lines to infiltrate their forces and learn any and all sensitive information that they could get their hands on. And judging from the satisfied smile on his face, Souei assumed that the mission was a resounding success.
"We have good news," Isshin started the briefing with a large smile on his face, "Han, the Gobi Jinchuuriki had defected from Iwagakure and is now considered a missing nin."
All three of us had gobsmacked expressions on our faces. The monster that caused all that destruction and wiped an entire stronghold off the map is now a missing nin. What a crazy development.
"After the Battle of Kamino Stronghold, Han abandoned his headband and never returned to Iwa's forces. It's unknown if he ran because of his failure in doing his mission, or something else. Whatever it was, Iwa had just lost a major asset in this war." Jun continued.
"That's why me and Jun decided now would be the best time to strike. With their morale in jeopardy after losing such a major figure, now is our chance to attack the supply lines to further sue chaos within Iwa's forces."
"Supply lines?" Rukia questioned the two superior officers.
Isshin smiled as he answered his daughter's question. "Jun's infiltration mission was a success. We have identified two routes that Iwa uses as supply lines to support their shinobi in the front lines. We will plan a two-pronged attack and assault these routes at the same time."
Rasa nodded in understanding. "So Team 11 will be responsible for attacking one of them?"
"That's correct. With the delicate nature of the mission, we believed that a small team of elite shinobi is more fit rather than a full on assault." Jun answered with a smirk on his face. "Judging from your performances all throughout the war, there's no questioning your effectiveness as a team. Therefore, you three will assault the one near the Redwood forests while Isshin leads the other one."
"Where will you be going dad?" Rukia asked.
"Funny enough, the one I'll be going to is pretty close from here. Before the Kamino incident, they managed to send out a shipment of weapons. My team and I will intercept them to make sure Iwa doesn't get them."
"You'll be leaving first thing in the morning, so rest up, restock on gear, and good luck." Jun finished the brief as we all saluted before leaving the tent.
That was yesterday, and Souei couldn't help the grin that formed as felt the wind rushing past his face. The past week felt pretty monotone with him spending his time recovering his injuries doing nothing more than working on his spider legs.
He took a lot of inspiration from Mukade, Ishito Sensei's puppet centipede, and couldn't wait to try them out. Like Ishito Sensei, he now also had his spider legs constantly on his back, not bothering to put them in a scroll.
This way, he doesn't have to waste time unsealing them. Not to mention how cool it looks. The way Ishito Sensei could strike fear into the hearts of his enemies by simply having Mukade slither around his body was something he aimed to achieve one day.
Speaking of Ishito Sensei, the man still hasn't woken up yet. Isshin and Rukia both ran diagnostics and told them he's completely fine, and he should wake up any day now.
"Hey, have you guys heard what happened in the Land of Storms?" Rukia's voice caught their attention as she turned around to face him and Rasa, Rukia now running and jumping backwards with a unique grace belonging to her.
Honestly, all three of them at this point could travel much faster as all three possess the ability of flight. But deemed it unnecessary since one, it was a waste of chakra. And two, they're supposed to coordinate the attack with Isshin's team together since they don't want the Iwa forces to know that they had knowledge of their supply lines and give them the chance to prepare, just in case they have a form of long range communication.
"Apparently, Hanzo the Salamander named three shinobi from Konoha as the Sannin since they survived a fight against him."
Rasa's eyes gained a glint of acknowledgement as he put a hand to his chin in thought. "I have actually, apparently the three managed to put up a good enough fight and impressed him to the point that he spared them."
Souei chuckled at the absurdity of it all. "There really are all kinds of ninja out there, huh? To think that a kage would spare his enemies and allow them a chance to grow stronger."
Rasa nodded in agreement with Souei's assessment. "I agree. It's unusual for a leader of a ninja village to do something like this. But I've also heard that all kinds of strong shinobi would grow unique eccentric behaviors. Perhaps this is his."
"Ne Souei, do you think we can also become Sannin one day?" Rukia asked in an excited manner. "Maybe once we grow stronger, the three of us can fight a kage and ask him to give us the title too!"
"Assuming we survive of course." Souei added with a chuckle. "But Sannin, eh? Legendary Three Ninja, I definitely wouldn't say no to a title like that."
"Jiraiya the Toad, Tsunade the Slug, and Orochimaru the Snake. Considering that Ishito Sensei was friends with this Jiraiya person, I'm not surprised to find out that he's strong." Rasa commented.
"Don't forget he's also Minato's sensei. The fast yellow guy back in the Chunin Exams. The one who beat you, Rukia. He was strong too."
"Ugh, don't remind me. I still have phantom pains from my fight with him." Rukia said, her eyes twitching at the reminder of her loss. But then she immediately bounced back with another smile on her face, "Can't wait to have a rematch with him, I've gotten much stronger than I was back then."
"That you have." Both Souei and Rasa smiled at her positive attitude.
.
.
Souei eyed the group of Iwa Shinobi currently walking leisurely through the dirt pathway from his position hidden within the trees of the Redwood forest. He, Rasa, and Rukia split up to surround them in a triangular formation to catch them off guard.
Although the Iwa Ninja seemed to be walking at a slow leisure pace, Souei noticed the small bits of tension in their forms. Their hands are always to their sides, close to their weapon pouches just in case a quick draw is needed. Their eyes stray from right to left, always scanning the area around them in case of an ambush. They stood at a diamond formation with a caravan at the center. No doubt the supplies that he and his teammates are supposed to 'liberate' from them.
'It seems their recent losses and Han's defection really made an impact on them.' He idly noted. 'Whatever the case, the mission remains unchanged.'
Without even moving his fingers, the four spider legs moved, strings still attached to his back, whistling as they cut through the air at impressive speeds, their golden exterior gleaming in the sunlight.
It was a testament to their skill that all four of the Iwa ninja detected the attack and managed to defend themselves. But it served its purpose, to distract the enemy. Souei pulled back the spider legs immediately as he rushed forward.
He could see Rukia and Rasa doing the same thing as they both unleashed their techniques toward the group of Iwa ninja. Souei however, opted for a more personal approach.
He raised his knee in mid air and slammed it to the forearm of the one in the lead, a short stout man with a bushy black beard and wearing the standard Iwa uniform.
"You damned Suna brat!"
Souei didn't even deign the man a reply as he backflipped from the clash and sent two of his spider legs towards him while sending the other two beneath the ground.
The Iwa ninja quickly sidestepped one and pulled out a kunai to block the other one. Souei moved forward as he mentally controlled the legs with his strings.
The first one that the man dodged swiftly stopped mid air before it turned 180 degrees and striked the Iwa ninja in the back. However, the man's experience showed as he anticipated the attack and ducked down, the golden leg passing through where the man's head had just been in harmlessly.
That left him open to Souei's counterattack, as he elbowed him in the chin and followed up with a quick jab to his kidney. He then raised both arms in, intercrossing them with one another, the two spider legs that he sent underground came sprouting from beneath the larger man, aimed directly at his heart.
Much to Souei's surprise, the man didn't even flinch from the sequence of attacks, with the spider legs simply bouncing off his skin. The man then swung his fist in a wide arc, forcing Souei to back away.
"My skin is much tougher than you think brat. I've taken hits much harder than you could possibly give." He said with a large grin on his face as he cracked his knuckles before he threw away his shirt. Showcasing all his hard boiled muscles and abs.
"I have trained my muscles to their absolute peak form! Nothing you can do will ever hurt me!" He bragged while flexing biceps.
Souei just raised an eyebrow, finding genuine amusement at the sudden turn of events. "Is that so? Then how about this? I'll unleash one of my techniques. If you manage to block it, I'll leave and never bother you again. Deal?"
"Do you take me for an idiot?!" The man shouted, making Souei roll his eyes and almost chuckle. 'Eh, worth a sho-'
"Just one technique wouldn't do, you should at least use two techniques! That way, my muscles would be properly challenged!"
Souei sweatdropped at that declaration, 'Never mind, he really is an idiot.'
Souei smiled as he nodded. "Deal."
They both completely ignored the sounds of fighting between both their allies. Completely engrossed in their self-imposed challenge.
"Oh, what's your name by the way?" Souei asked as they stood a few feet from one another. The man preparing to take whatever technique Souei had planned head on.
"I am Todo! Jonin of Iwa!" The man, now identified as Todo, introduced himself boisterously. "And what of you, young shinobi?"
"I'm Souei. Chunin." Souei replied with a smile on his face. 'Now then, time to end this. This guy is pretty confident, so I should probably use one of my stronger techniques. Just in case.'
"Prepare yourself, Todo. I'm not holding back."
"Come at me, Young Souei!"
Souei took a stance. He then raised his right arm, palm facing the older shinobi as he unleashed his signature technique.
"Overheat!"
A beam of red hot strings were ejected from his palm, the strings nearly molten as they were launched towards his opponent.
Todo flexed his pectoral muscles as much as he could in preparation against the attack. He screamed in defiance as his will to survive and confidence in his own brawn-based defense shone through.
However, they were all for naught as Souei's attack melted through his flesh and cut a perfect circular hole in the center of his chest.
His now dead body fell with a resounding splat, cutting into the awkward silence that emanated after that performance.
Souei blinked twice. "Huh, either I'm stronger than I thought or that guy was seriously underwhelming." He said to no one in particular as he took a relaxed stance. "Still though, what a shame. I kinda liked that guy…"
"If you're quite finished, I could use the help." Rasa said in a monotone voice as he rushed by on a platform made of gold dust. Two Iwa ninja on his tail as they moved with graceful agility, actually keeping up with him.
'Hahh, time to get back to work.' Souei let out a loud sigh he jumped up and flew towards them, his strings allowing him to move through the air unimpeded.
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With this chapter, we're officially entering the middle stages of the arc. We'll be entering a whole new phase of the war in the next chapter.
Advanced chapters on my pat_reon page! Depending on the tier, you could get up to chapter 32 by the time this was published, along with a few other benefits.
P_atr_eon_com/TeemVizzle
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Hope y'all enjoyed the story so far.
Tootles!