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May the Lord show you his favour and give you his peace.
Numbers 6:26
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Location: Land Of Earth
5 entities leapt into the air gracefully, using the bulging surfaces as leverage to somersault and ascend the hill with ease until finally settling on solid ground. This place was a praiseworthy vantage point, offering a spectacular panoramic view of the world beneath.
Among the squad of 5, while everyone trailed forward, one of them, who was a child, strayed behind to register the magnificent view below.
Having reached higher ground, a tempestuous gale encircled the desolate realm, ruffling his hair as he digested the magnificent view before him. Numerous mountains could be seen from here, silently conveying the towering scale of this region in contrast to the other mountains.
After all, the Twin Peaks mountain is considered to be one of the tallest mountains in the Land of Earth, and the squad had yet to reach the top.
The youth admired the picturesque landscape for a brief moment before hobbling over to the rest of his crew.
...
"We're here." Confirmed a deep, authoritative tone.
The man's crimson pupils darted across the earthen landscape, making a mental sweep of his surroundings, while also locating possible mishaps.
Alas, there was nothing, allowing him to breathe easy... for now.
With a nod of satisfaction, he directed his gaze skyward, reflecting on the imposing peak of the cliff before him.
The man was none other than Namika- Ahem.
He was none other than Uzumaki Saruto.
It took 3 days for the newly issued squad to reach their destination, and despite the challenging terrain, not a single one of them shared signs of constraint. They all wore indifferent expressions.
Genma, surveying the terrain, vocalised in a tone tinged with wariness, "Everything seems awfully peaceful."
Saruto concurred, "Indeed."
While observing the barren landscape, Aoba retorted, "If I'm not mistaken, wasn't there a battle around here?"
Saruto clarified, "Yes, and I believe we'll get our answer as we head further up."
"Up, huh?" Genma repeated, directing his gaze to the imposing peak.
Saruto questioned, his tone carrying authority, "Shisui-san, Kaede, do you notice any fluctuations? Maybe any sort of residual chakra?"
Naturally, he sought the Uchiha's assistance when it came to spatial acuity.
Kaede and Shisui had already activated their Sharingan the moment they had arrived, and Shisui gave the heads up, "No, I think we need to go further up."
However, Kaede opposed, her eyes slightly squinting, "I do notice something... It's vague, but there's definitely something..."
With a grin, Shisui complimented, "As expected, your sensory ability is on another level, nee-san."
Kaede sported a perfunctory smile, and unlike the rest of the members, only Saruto could detect the unease behind it. After all, for her and her family, this situation carried the utmost urgency.
Reaching into a pocket in his flak jacket, Saruto extracted a scroll, and unwound the knot, allowing the team to examine its contents. A detailed map was reflected before their curious eyes, reminding them of the format of the terrain, especially in the peak region where a tumultuous battle had recently transpired, which was circled in red.
Aoba extended a forefinger, perusing the area of the region circled in red, and debriefed, "We should be careful. I've heard that many deaths have occurred here because of the unpredictable weather patterns. Several went missing, and many lost their lives unable to reroute back down the mountain."
Shisui nodded in consensus, "That's right. It's a restricted area, and more dangerous during the winter."
Listening attentively to the warnings, Genma quipped, "A perfect spot for hiding."
Without haste, Saruto addressed, "Alright, we'll stick together for now. Let's go up, and keep vigilant."
"Hai." Everyone chorused.
Following his command, everyone ventured forth, vanishing from sight!
...
The Twin Peaks Mountain:
This region is a notable landmark in the land of Earth, and as its name implies, it is named after two prominent peaks. The mountains are known for their rugged terrain, dense forests, and most importantly, the challenging weather conditions, which become extremely harsh during the winter.
The distinctive shape makes it a formidable location for strategic operations and battles. Jiro, as a fellow member of the land of the Earth, had assimilated with the landscape and remained veiled from the watchful eye of the Shinobi world.
The Twin Peaks mountain may be a well-known place, but the bizarre climate changes and other major factors make it a difficult place to dwell within, hence, nobody resides here. The reason Konoha were even able to attain information on the hideout of the rogue ninja, Jiro, was thanks to his informant who sought refuge in Konoha, and spilt the beans, else Jiro's hideout would remain unknown.
According to the report from the dispatched squads who were issued to investigate, the location of the hideout the informant had provided was false; to be more accurate, Jiro had changed locations!
However, the minimal trails Jiro and his team left behind proved sufficient in locating his new hideout. Though daunting, through sheer determination, the 2 assigned squads managed to narrow down the clues and ultimately found the newly situated hideout.
This could only be done thanks to their capabilities.
This was a succinct format of what transpired. Through a hard-fought battle utilising concise tactical formations, both squads reigned victorious. Several were injured, but none of them died, and according to them, Jiro was killed during the ordeal. To finalise the ordeal, they sent a messenger bird with the contents of their findings, enabling Konoha to exhale a breath of relief and await the arrival of the heroes, but that's the part that became unpleasant.
Why?
While their highly anticipated return lurked around the corner...
They never returned!
While the public was made unaware of the plight, several ninjas were aware, and so was the Hokage.
Once again, everyone's morale had plummeted, and it quickly derailed into anarchy among the higher ranks of Konoha.
This was mainly the case as the members that were deployed were highly ranked individuals, and Konoha would face a severe blow!
1 week had elapsed since their confirmation of the mission's success, yet they never appeared again, thus, leading to the present dilemma of Saruto and several elites to examine the situation.
...
Halfway up the mountain, an eerie flood of mist breached their vision, hinting at the abnormality of the geological instability, and obscuring the path that lay ahead.
In a mission, one must prepare for all adversities, no matter how frail. A rookie may perceive this to be a thick fog, but a Shinobi must account for all things, no matter how inconvenient.
Indeed, this was a real mist, yet it seemed to carry something else...
Something so minuscule, it could be discarded, yet Saruto and his team exercised utmost caution.
Saruto halted in his tracks as he noticed the world around him had begun to lose its lustre, and he mused, 'Genjutsu?!'
His allies weren't around him, but their absence only fueled his drive to exit this fog.
Weaving a single-handed sign, he chanted, "Release!"
The potency of the mist alarmingly dimmed, and when Saruto came to, he found himself beside Kaede, who had already broken out of the illusion. Shisui too, had broken from the genjutsu, and soon enough, Genma and Aoba had easily broken out.
With a kunai raised, Genma murmured, "Someone's nearby."
*RUSTLE*
An almost inaudible rustle rang in the air, prompting a sharp exclamation on the faces of everyone.
"Thew!"
Genma was the first to act, spitting his cocktail stick in the direction of the rustle at a tree branch.
*CLANK*
A solid chime rang out, and a shadowy blur propelled from the fog, and distanced itself from the crew, blending in with the thick haze ahead!
"Kaede!" Saruto beckoned.
"On it." Kaede charged.
Her keen awareness enabled her to see something the others could not. She immediately body flickered from the spot, and tailed behind a blurry silhouette that masked with the fog. The mist seemed to thicken the deeper they ventured, yet Kaede plunged through, undeterred.
Weaving several hand signs, she brought her finger to her mouth, and chanted mentally, 'Firestyle: Fireball Jutsu!'
Her cheeks puffed as she took a deep breath in, and her upper torso ballooned in the process, before the scorching devastation exited her mouth, beckoning to incinerate its target!
*BOOM*
*FIZZ*
A resounding boom echoed across the canvas, followed by fizzing sounds that seemed to react from the leaves and other minor things that were involved in the attack.
A fiery blaze engulfed the land she blasted, and she immediately ceased her pursuit, standing atop the branch of a nearby tree, and kept an unfaltering gaze on the whirling torpedo of flames that slowly diminished. Her silky hair whipped against the ferocious gust as she watched the unfolding havoc.
The rancid odour of smoke lingered in the air, and finally, the flames had completely subsided, leaving behind the remnants of Kaede's destruction...
Much to her horror, what was reflected before her crimson eyes was a mutilated wooden puppet, signifying the expert usage of puppet mastery!
"A puppet?!" She questioned, her tone tinged with shock.
Her pupils constricted into vertical slits, and she grit her teeth in self-deprecation, slowly losing her patience as she mentally divulged on the mission. Being constantly reminded of her missing brother, her eyes flickered in trepidation, and her brows knit into a tight frown.
*TAP*
Deviating her from superfluous thoughts was a reassuring tap on her shoulder, prompting her to look toward the red-haired man who stood beside her. The red-haired man bore a crestfallen visage at the sight of the perpetrator, who appeared to be the remaining husk of the puppet that was burned to a crisp.
The red-haired man steeled himself, and vehemently declared, "Kaede, we'll find Shinji. Don't worry."
Kaede's mental strain withered with Saruto's reassurance, and she took a calm breath and reorganised her thoughts. She replied, "Yeah, thanks dear."