Shoko, evading Riku's attacks, maintained a cryptic demeanour.
"Maybe you're not as in the know as you think, Senju Wolf of Konoha."
Shoko taunted, a smirk playing on his lips as he observed Riku's reaction. The nickname was a moniker of the past that Riku gained during his exploits in the second shinobi war.
Riku, regaining his composure, shot a sharp glance at Shoko. "So, you've done your homework."
Shoko chuckled, the banter intertwining with the intensity of their jutsu-laden duel.
"It's not every day you get to face a living legend. They say you tore through enemy lines like a wolf hunting its prey."
Riku, maintaining a stoic demeanour, retorted, "Legends can be deceiving. What does my past have to do with this mission?"
Shoko replied, "In as much as I'd like to test myself over you. I'm only here for the chakra metal."
It was not strange that Shoko was not backing down. Chakra Metal was a very precious metal. It's not just a valuable commodity; it's a source of power that can enhance the potency of various techniques. The elemental nations have, in the past, gone to war over control of chakra metal mines.
The history of conflicts over such a precious resource highlighted the strategic importance placed on it. The mere fact that it had high Chakra conduction made it a must have ingredient when making bladed weapons for shinobi.
'So far he has been using Earth Jutsus both for offence and defence. Is he from Iwa? Although he might be from another village, Iwa is the most likely guess. If so why did they send him?'
As the battle raged on, Riku seized an opportune moment to pose a question to his adversary.
"Are you perhaps from Iwagakure?" he inquired.
Shoko assessed Riku with a measured gaze. The question lingered in the air, however, Shoko did not indulge Riku. He remained enigmatic, offering no verbal response.
Riku, undeterred, continued to inquire,
"Rindo Shoko," Riku asked, his tone laced with a mixture of realization and inquiry.
"Is that the name you go by?"
"Come on, just answer you already know about me. After all, this might be the last time we fight, At least for one of us."
Riku's deduction regarding Shoko's identity was drawn from the information stored in the Bingo book. The pages of the book held the story of Rindo Shoko, a figure whose standing in Iwa changed with the turbulent aftermath of the Second Shinobi War.
Rindo Shoko had gone rogue in the years following the war after a fallout with the Tsuchikage leading to the current path he was in. The bounty placed on Shoko's head was a sum of two million Ryo.
While the amount might not hold significant allure for Riku, it was still enough to make Riku vow to collect it. But that was besides the point.
'Knowing that old man, Shoko might not even be a rogue shinobi.'
It was not surprising that Villages could sacrifice their own shinobi by severing their ties with them, these very Shinobi would become their pawns for information gathering and the sort.
Seeing Shoko now become unresponsive, Riku heaved a sigh.
'He was all talk just a few minutes ago, now that I'm asking questions he become mute. Anyway, time to end this farce.'
With a determined gaze, Riku closed the distance between them in a blur of speed. He then launched a couple of strikes at Shoko. His strikes were a fusion of taijutsu precision and ninjutsu, a relentless onslaught that sought to break through Shoko's defences.
Shoko, though battered and on the defensive, maintained his demeanour. The rogue shinobi's resolve seemed unyielding, an enigma that frustrated Riku. Yet, undeterred, Riku channelled his frustration into his attacks, each blow fueled by the weight of unanswered questions.
Back on the other side of the battle, Team 15 had already vanquished all their opponents and now turned their attention back to Hozuki Fakinshi and Riku's shadow clone, assessing the aftermath of the battle.
The priority was to regroup with Hozuki and the clone, ensuring the safety of their client and completing the mission that had taken an unexpected turn.
"Hozuki-sama," Renjiro began, his tone measured but insistent, "Do you have any reason why they were targetting you?"
Hozuki, initially hesitant, found himself compelled to unveil the truth in the face of the genin's inquiries. He admitted, "I... I... Chakra metal. I was transporting a significant quantity of chakra metal."
The clone explained to them the significance of this since the genins were not privy to such information. The genins listened attentively, their expressions reflecting a mix of realization and understanding as they grasped the gravity of their mission.
'Ooh! So that's what the Samurai use to make their weapons.' Renjiro remarked after he realized the scope of the situation.
Meanwhile, Riku's clone did not see any reason to be there and so it dispelled itself. The reason it did so was to make sure Riku got his memories. The genins were not worried about this as they could pretty much tell its intentions.
Not long after, Riku appeared before them. He approached them, a scroll clasped firmly in his hand. Without a moment's hesitation, he distributed scrolls to each member of Team 15.
"Take these scrolls," Riku instructed his voice a measured blend of authority and guidance. "We need to secure the bodies of the bandits."
Aiko voiced the unspoken question in their minds.
"Why do we need their bodies and how do we secure them, sensei?"
Riku explained the strategic importance of their actions.
"The Yamanaka clan can use their bodies to access their memories. Extracting information from these bandits might unveil the motives behind their attack, potential connections, and any information. It could also show us how the leak of Hozuki and the chakra metal happened. So we need to quickly store their bodies."
With a shared understanding, the Genin set to work, efficiently following Riku's instructions. After they were done, Riku noticed the subtle change among the three genins. Looking at the genins his team faced, the realization hit him.
"How are you guys holding up?" Riku inquired, his gaze shifting from one Genin to another. The gravity of their recent experience was clear as all of them, in some way, had ended a life.
Hiro broke the silence. "It's... different, sensei. Ending lives wasn't something we didn't expect when we signed up for missions. But it still feels weird."
Riku nodded, "It's a part of the shinobi life, but it's crucial to process these experiences. If you ever need to talk about it, I'm here."
It was only then that Renjiro put much thought into it. He was still running on adrenaline from the battle that he did not realize that he murdered people.
'This is real! This is no anime. I have to live with the fact that I am a murderer as well as a Child soldier now.'
Renjiro tried to focus on more positive thoughts like he had come out of the conflict safe and sound but some sort of guilt managed to creep up on him.
Hiro, meanwhile, simply nodded. Riku, sensing the unspoken emotions beneath the surface, continued to observe his team. After a moment of shared understanding, he redirected their focus to the mission at hand.
"Let's clear our tracks and move forward," Riku said, redirecting their attention to the uncompleted mission. The Genins nodded in agreement.
As they swiftly erased any traces of their presence in the training ground, the echoes of the battle faded into the background. Team 15, now pressed forward, guided by their Jounin sensei. The mission awaited completion, and the journey of these young shinobi continued, forged by the experiences that shaped them.
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