Strolling through the village, Daniel drew attention with his unique appearance. Knowing his objective, he remained unfazed. "I shouldn't cause too much damage," he muttered, a slight giggle escaping as his mask displayed a smiling expression.
Back at the gate, Iwa ninja gathered around the barely conscious gatekeepers. "What happened here?" one asked.
"Hey, over here. This one's speaking," another called out.
"What is it? Speak, who did this?" an Iwa nin rushed to the scene.
"M... Ma... Masked man," the gatekeeper muttered before falling unconscious.
"Masked man?" The investigating nin were puzzled.
"Whoever did this will pay!" one of the ninja declared, clenching his fist. "Scatter. I want you to move in teams and search for any suspicious person wearing a mask. You three, go inform the Tsuchikage of this matter. I want this done swiftly," he commanded. The surrounding ninja vanished, commencing the search.
Meanwhile, Daniel waltzed around the village, browsing shops and buying a few accessories. "It's been a while since I came here," he reminisced.
"Halt!" Suddenly, a few Iwa ninja surrounded Daniel. "Please show us your entry documents," one ninja said, standing in a battle-ready position.
"Sorry?" Daniel turned slowly to face the ninja.
"This is just basic procedure, don't stress yourself. Now, if you would please show us your entry documents," the ninja replied.
"Is that so? I could've sworn you were after me because of the mess I caused at the entrance," Daniel responded, egging them on. The trio couldn't understand what Daniel just said, but it was a confession nonetheless.
"So you're admitting to your crimes?" another ninja said.
"How dare you say such a thing in front of us!" another, enraged by Daniel's response, charged.
"Wait, don't act rec—" Before the leader among the trio could finish, his subordinate rushed into battle. The scent of iron filled the air, and a red streak of liquid marked the scene. Before the other two could react, it was too late—they had lost a teammate—his head land on the ground with a thud.
"You bastard!" the other ninja, in rage, charged as well.
"No! Don't..." The leader cried out, begging his teammates to act more calmly, but his words were unfounded. "Damn it. Can't those fools understand? Whenever a character like that shows up and looks or acts all weird, we must avoid conflict at all costs," the leader thought to himself, standing shakily as he faced Daniel.
"Aren't you gonna avenge your friends?" Daniel stood there, his mask not showing it, but his presence was ever so intimidating. The Iwa ninja simply ran for his life.
"Damn it, another attack. This one more brutal than the last," an Iwa jonin muttered, surveying the scene. Meanwhile, Daniel continued his leisurely stroll through the village. "My target will arrive in two to three days, so I can just play around for now. Since this mission isn't lengthy, with about two to three weeks to complete it, I won't rush things. When I get back to Konoha, it'll be around the time for the Chunin Exams," he mused.
"Does anyone know what happened here?" the jonin asked.
"No, sir. But we've heard reports of this team's leader fleeing the scene. We're currently questioning him," a chunin replied.
"Take me to where they are," the jonin ordered. As they were about to leave, another ninja appeared.
"I've got a report on the incident, sir," the shinobi stated. "It appears the culprit is the same perpetrator who assaulted the guards. The witness said the assailant confirmed his crimes and retaliated when aggravated. The culprit is a man wearing a weird mask and unusual clothing."
"Good. Fan out and spread the word. Do not engage the target," the jonin commanded.
"Right," the other ninja agreed, scattering throughout the village to search for the assailant.
"Haaa! That curry was amazing," Daniel mused, sitting and dining in a restaurant. "Guess I can't hide anymore, not that I was trying," he thought, noticing the Hidden Stone police force surrounding the restaurant.
"Hey, sir," Daniel called to the waiter, who was trembling in fear.
"Yes?" the waiter answered, his voice shaking.
"That was some good food. Here's a tip," Daniel said, leaving some money on the table before heading outside. The waiter quickly took the money and ran to the kitchen.
"We have you surrounded and outnumbered! Give up now and surrender unless you want to face the wrath of the Hidden Stone," an Iwa ninja declared.
Daniel stood still, silent.
"Now, if you would kindly throw your entry documents at us..." the ninja continued, thinking Daniel was about to comply.
"I don't have them," Daniel cut in, causing the Stone ninja to let out a small irk.
"Sigh. Then would you please throw us your identification documents..." the Stone shinobi prompted.
"Don't have those either," Daniel responded.
"But I can give you my name," Daniel said loudly.
"Ye... Yes, we can start with that then. What is your name and affiliated village?" the Stone shinobi asked.
"My name... My name is Jugemu-jugemu Gokōnosurikire Kaijarisuigyo-no Suigyōmatsu Unraimatsu Fūraimatsu Kūnerutokoroni-sumutokoro Yaburakōjino-burakōji Paipopaipo-paiponoshūringan Shūringanno-gūrindai Gūrindaino-ponpokopīno-ponpokonāno Chōkyūmeino-chōsuke," Daniel replied with a stern expression.
The Stone shinobi paused in frustration and rage, waiting for their leader's command.
"He mocks us. Get him!" the leading shinobi ordered, full of rage, as the others started charging at Daniel.
The Hidden Stone shinobi charged at Daniel with fierce determination, their battle cries echoing through the village. The first wave of attackers hurled a barrage of Earth Release jutsu, the ground beneath Daniel's feet erupting into jagged spikes and walls of stone. With a fluid motion, Daniel sidestepped the attacks, his movements graceful and precise, reminiscent of a master of Taichi.
One shinobi lunged at him with a kunai, aiming for his throat. Daniel's hand moved like a whisper, redirecting the attacker's arm and sending him sprawling to the ground with a gentle push. Another came from behind, fists blazing with chakra-infused energy. Daniel spun on his heel, his palm meeting the attacker's chest and sending him flying back with a force that belied the seemingly soft touch.
"Is that all you've got?" Daniel taunted, his mask displaying a mocking grin.
The shinobi regrouped, their frustration palpable. "Earth Style: Mud Dragon Jutsu!" one of them shouted, summoning a massive dragon made of mud that surged towards Daniel. He stood his ground, his body swaying like a reed in the wind. At the last moment, he stepped aside, the dragon crashing harmlessly into the ground where he had stood.
A trio of shinobi attempted a coordinated taijutsu assault, their movements synchronized and deadly. Daniel's body flowed like water, each strike and kick redirected with minimal effort. He moved through them like a dancer, his hands and feet a blur of motion. One by one, they fell, their attacks turned against them with almost effortless precision.
"He's toying with us!" one of the shinobi shouted in frustration.
"Stay focused!" their leader barked. "We can take him down if we work together!"
They launched another wave of attacks, combining ninjutsu and taijutsu in a desperate attempt to overwhelm him. Daniel's movements remained calm and controlled, his Taichi techniques effortlessly countering their every move. He deflected a barrage of stone shuriken with a flick of his wrist, sent another attacker flying with a gentle push, and neutralized a powerful punch with a simple redirection.
The battle raged on, but the outcome was clear. Daniel's mastery of Taichi allowed him to turn his opponents' strength against them, each attack met with a counter that left the attacker defeated and bewildered. The shinobi's numbers dwindled, their morale shattered by the seemingly invincible foe before them.
Finally, the last of the attackers lay on the ground, groaning in pain. Daniel stood amidst the fallen shinobi, his mask displaying a serene expression. "Is there no one else?" he asked, his voice calm and untroubled.
The leader of the shinobi, the only one still standing, trembled with a mix of fear and rage. "You... you monster," he spat, backing away slowly.
Daniel tilted his head, the mask's expression shifting to one of mild amusement. "Monster? No, just someone who knows how to dance." With that, he turned and continued his stroll through the village, leaving the defeated shinobi in his wake.