The war was fixed.
The war that took the lives of his mother, his father and both his siblings. Was all a political ploy to weaken an already weak force. His baby brother. His family. Everyone in his hometown. All of them dead because of something they had nothing to do with. All of them gone. Reduced to nothing and he was left defending the village... the country responsible for that.
Chusei was quite comfortable with living a quiet life once he made chunin. He was well prepared to become a fully functional and dependable member of their village. That was no longer an option for him. He needed to make sure. He needed proof that their client wasn't just a paranoid writer. If it was true, he doubted that the common chunin would have access to it. Never before in his life he wanted to be in a position that demanded his commitment.
But... he needed to know.
It was all so obvious that every aspect of his life was controlled by more powerful people in his society. He never thought that this control would extend to the death of his family. It never crossed his mind that there could even be a link between Konoha and his previous village. What made him even more upset was that if he didn't get this mission. If they decided to murder Mr. Hayazuki in his sleep last night. They would have never met him and Chusei would go on with his life knowing no more than before. He would have gotten a job at internal support and sit on his ass for the rest of his existence. Not knowing that he was working his years away for his captors.
All of this happened for a reason and he was not going to allow Hayazuki to risk it all for nothing.
The group stopped for the night after crossing over into the Land of Dreams. As expected they got much further without a client there to hold them back, but it didn't matter when all he could think about since heading home was the client's words. Their hurdled through the trees at break neck speed trying to get back to the outpost in a timely manner. He eyed his group as they did their best to stay focused, but he knew better than anyone that hiding thoughts wasn't that hard.
Chusei sent out a pulse of chakra and waited for the feedback.
Nagisa was calm as usual, more focused on their parameters than anything else. The fourth genin in the cell, was still nervous about bringing home the news. For one they would definitely face some form of punishment for their lapse. In the grand scheme though there was probably a group of shinobi combing every inch of East Rikubetsu.
Kobaru's link had faded again. Chusei sped up and slapped the boy's shoulder, prompting a smile out of his cat-eyed friend. He couldn't help but smile back at the closest friend he'd ever have. It made him happy that their was at least one person he would happily defend in the village. This wavered a bit when the foreign tank of feelings flooded his senses.
Kobaru was worried.
The boy somehow reinforced Chusei's suspicion that his brain was too big for his own good. The smile on Kobaru's face disappeared. His worry replaced by immense sadness. Then just as quickly as the link was formed, it was broken.
Chusei did his best not to outwardly react at the shutout. Kobaru turned away and Chusei retracting slowly. Jumping out of Kobaru's line to traverse a different group of trees.
After another half hour of running. Chusei called for a stop at a hillside cave. A hideout popular for shinobi travelling from the North. They weren't too far from the outpost another five minute sprint would get them there. Sadly his active links were taking too much out of him, so the only downside was he'd die off chakra exhaustion in the process. He huddled the group and sent out another pulse. Kobaru's link was properly gone. Not even feedback on his violent well of chakra.
"What the hell's going on?" the temp genin asked looking around the group, searching their faces for unease. Chusei had to agree. He wouldn't want to be the only person panicking in a group. You'd just feel even more out of place and concerned.
"Don't worry 'bout it," Chusei brushed off the concern with a grin, "what matters right now is sleep. They've probably reported us dead and/or lost by now," he looked back at Kobaru who was now staring at him his pupils now one hundred times wider than usual. He ignored it, "Nagisa you know the drill."
"Of course. I can admit though I am becoming more comfortable with the idea of you watching during peak hours," she stated as a matter of fact.
"Zero times One is still zero Nagisa."
"I am genuinely surprised that you have any mathematical aptitude."
Chusei narrowed his eyes at that, "thank... you?"
There was a silence as she began stalking off out of the cave. The sound of her sandal clicking against bare dirt and rock being suppressed the further she got from the group. From experience he knew that you would only hear Nagisa moving if she wanted you to hear her.
She stopped midstride dragging her grounded foot through the loose soil, "Excuse me Nakamura-san. If you don't mind me asking where was your village located."
That caught Kobaru's attention, leading him to whip his head up at the girl. His interest painted on his face without thought. Chusei glanced at him before answering, "uh... rain," there was a spike in her chakra. She knew he was lying. He decided to quit while he was ahead, "How you know I'm lying?"
She looked down at her feet, "that man. He had Kusa's insignia on his necklace, his swords and his belt buckle. You sound just like him," she stopped to look back at the orange haired boy, "I am no good at sentiment Nakamura. So if I'm unlucky enough to get you as an assignment, there will be no hesitation."
With a blur of speed she disappeared to take the first post. Leaving her threat at that.
"What the hell is going on?" Their teammate asked again having not taken the first response as an adequate enough explanation.
Chusei sighed ready to explain only to be interrupted by Kobaru, "we're going home. What happens when we get there would depend on the kind of village that we're heading home to," the younger boy licked his lips, dropping into a squat, "After we hand in our reports. We'll more than likely be under investigation. Even more than we were before leaving on the mission."
"Wait what?" the boy asked his jaw slack in awe.
"Yeah that's where my intel ends so..."
The allowed the silence for a bit more. Staring at nothing in particular as they tossed their views over in their heads. Chusei was the first to say something.
"Yo Kobaru," he called the boy looked up at him causing Chusei to retract a bit. He had not grown used to seeing the boy's pupils taking up most of his eyeball, "um... if I die before learning the truth. Could you like do me a solid and find out for me."
Kobaru scoffed in a manner of overconfidence, "I'm surprised you felt the need to ask."
Chusei snickered at the response.
Nagisa blurred into existence at the mouth of the cave. Her chest heaving as though she was fresh from a chase, "the outpost... it's burning."