The next day, Kaito and Chosuke jolted awake as a splash of cold water hit their faces. Shinichi-sensei stood over them, holding an empty bucket, while Satoru leaned against a tree nearby, clearly the only one spared since he'd been on watch duty.
Chosuke groaned, rubbing his eyes. "Five more minutes, Sensei… please?"
Shinichi raised an eyebrow. "Five minutes won't gather firewood. Get moving."
Chosuke grumbled but obeyed, grabbing his supplies and trudging off to complete his assigned task. Meanwhile, Shinichi turned to Satoru and Kaito. "How's your proficiency with tree and water walking?"
Satoru shrugged. "Mitsuki-sensei taught me both, but I haven't tried walking on anything like rapid waters yet."
Kaito scratched his head. "I can stick to surfaces, but I can't really move up a tree yet."
Shinichi nodded, seemingly unsurprised. "Satoru, once Chosuke's back and we've eaten, you can get some rest. But, Kaito," he added, fixing him with a determined stare, "we'll begin your tree-walking practice right away."
Kaito perked up, feeling a surge of motivation. "Really?"
"If you can master the basics by the end of today, I'll teach you a new jutsu," Shinichi said, a small challenge in his tone.
Kaito's eyes lit up, and he immediately stood at attention, ready to start. Shinichi gestured to a nearby tree, explaining the technique in detail, while Kaito listened intently, his earlier drowsiness forgotten.
As Chosuke returned, arms loaded with firewood, Satoru prepared to finally get some sleep. But not before he cast an amused glance at Kaito, who was already hard at work channeling chakra to his feet, eyes focused on his goal.
The team gathered around the fire, the air filled with the smell of breakfast as they mentally prepared for the day's training ahead.
A few hours later, Satoru woke up to the sight of Kaito clinging precariously to a tree trunk. Kaito had managed to climb up, but as he tried to take a step forward, his foot slipped, and he plummeted down, hitting the ground with a thud.
Just a few feet away, Chosuke was focused intently, his brow furrowed as he stood atop a deep puddle, practicing his water-walking technique. He wobbled slightly, but he kept himself steady.
Satoru turned to Shinichi. "I'll go collect some things for lunch and dinner while they train."
Shinichi glanced at him and gave an approving nod. "Always taking the initiative, aren't you? I've noticed you're willing to handle responsibilities without waiting for orders. Good work, Satoru. Just make sure you stay alert out there—this isn't the village."
Satoru gave a quick nod, feeling the weight of Shinichi's words. He grabbed his sword and ventured deeper into the forest, his mind already mapping out his tasks.
He planned to collect dry wood from the dead tree he'd used before and then send a shadow clone to gather fish using their efficient trapping method.
Moving quickly and efficiently, he gathered a good bundle of firewood, chopping the branches with swift, clean strokes from his sword.
Meanwhile, his clone managed to catch several fish using the bait-and-zap technique he'd refined with Kaito. They wrapped everything securely, ensuring it was easy to carry back to camp.
Just as he started making his way back, a sharp snap of a twig echoed behind him. Satoru stopped in his tracks, his hand instinctively tightening around his sword hilt. He stood completely still, his senses on high alert as he scanned his surroundings for movement.
Satoru spun around, his sword slicing through the air in a calculated arc. The
cloaked figure dodged just in time, puling back and drawing a rough machete, its
blade jagged and worn but deadly. The attacker charged forward, machete raised, aiming directly for Satoru's midsection
Satoru shifted into a defensive stance, raising his blade to deflect. The machete
clashed against his sword with a metalle ring, sending vibrations up his arm. He
slid back, putting distance between himself and the attacker. "Who are you? ldentify yourself" he demanded, but the figure stayed silent, responding with a furious swipe.
'Stay on the defensive.. and draw him closer to camp; Satoru strategized. He paried each strike, angling his body just out of range as the machete came crashing down.
The attacker's moves were aggressive, but their strikes were getting progressively wilder and more desperate. Satoru observed closely, biding his time while blocking and evading, taking small backward steps with each strike
The attacker's breathing grew heavier, labored.
With each failed strike, the figure stumbled slightly, gripping their leg and coughing. Satoru's eyes narrowed as he noticed a faint discoloration at the wound on the assailant's calf. 'The poison..it's working,'
Seeing an opportunity, Satoru subtly reached into his pouch and withdrew a small syringe filled with antidote. Hie quickly injected himself, ensuring his own safety, and prepared for a counterattack. When the assailant swung again-slower and with a noticeable tremor in their arm-Satoru sidestepped, deflecting the machete's path with his sword and evading easily,
The attacker grunted in frustration, trying to push forward, but Satoru sliped past, ducking under a sluggish swing. In one swift motion, he struck the figure's arm with the hilt of his sword, unbalancing them, and drove the syringe into the side of their neck. The assailant's eyes widened as the tranquilizer took effect, and within moments, they crumpled to the ground.
Turning around, Satoru froze as he spotted Shinichi-sensei standing just a few feet away, arms crossed, observing the scene. Shinichi's gaze moved from Satoru to the unconscious figure sprawled at his feet.
"Efficient work," Shinichi commented. "You stayed calm and wore down your
opponent-an impressive execution of patience.' He glanced down at the fallen
attacker, a hint of curiosity in his otherwise stoic expression. "Now, let's see who's been lurking in our path.
The team gathered around as Shinichi set the cloaked figure on the ground and carefully removed her mask. Beneath it, they saw a young woman with striking blond hair and piercing blue eyes, completely knocked out.
Kaito's brow furrowed. "Is she from the Yamanaka clan?"
Shinichi gave a slight nod. Without wasting any time, he splashed a bit of water on the woman's face, stirring her awake.
Her eyes opened, and she scanned the team with a bemused look before settling on Satoru, a chuckle escaping her lips. "Didn't expect to get bested by a genin," she admitted, shaking her head. "Impressive."
She straightened up and introduced herself. "Name's Inoko. I'm part of the counter-espionage division, undercover with the bandit group."
Shinichi's eyes narrowed slightly as he processed the information. "Are you the Yamanaka we were meant to meet?"
Inoko nodded, dusting herself off as she got to her feet. "Yeah, sorry for the rough approach. Just had to make sure your team could handle itself." She glanced around, noting the curious expressions on Satoru's faces. "You did well. Better than I expected, actually."
Kaito, still trying to make sense of everything, chimed in, "If you were undercover, did you learn anything about the bandits we should know?"
Inoko's smirk widened. "Oh, plenty. I drugged a few of those goons and got inside their heads. They weren't exactly careful with their thoughts when they were half-conscious."
She pointed to a large, worn map tucked away in the corner of the tent. "I was the one who marked down the locations of nearby bandit camps. That should give you a head start."
The team crowded around as Shinichi retrieved the map, studying the notations and markings Inoko had made. Each mark was a potential lead, a carefully plotted map of enemy locations.
Inoko sat cross-legged by the fire, savoring a meal as she spoke with Shinichi. The team had provided her with some food, and as she ate, she seemed to relax, opening up more about her mission.
Meanwhile, Satoru, Kaito, and Chosuke kept a cautious distance, training nearby but also keeping a close eye on her,
As Shinichi probed further, Inoko leaned forward, speaking in a hushed tone. "These bandits aren't your average ragtag group," she began. "They've created a ranking system, and it's surprisingly organized. There's a clear chain of command, with each bandit group following orders precisely."
Shinichi's face hardened as he listened. "How long do we have before their next move? We need to know how quickly we need to act."
Inoko paused thoughtfully, choosing her words carefully. "All groups are converging east, toward the Land of Tea. They're planning to raid and take over a small village there. Once they have control, they'll use the village as a resource and manpower base."
Shinichi clenched his fist, a sense of urgency flashing across his usually stoic face. "A full takeover…"
Inoko nodded. "Their leaders communicate through carrier birds, which deliver detailed orders. From what I could gather, they follow instructions without question, which means someone on the outside is directing them."
Without missing a beat, Shinichi pulled out a scroll, swiftly unrolling it. He made a quick cut on his finger and weaved the hand signs for a summoning jutsu.
In a flash of smoke, a small hawk appeared before him, its sharp eyes focused and alert.
He quickly jotted down Inoko's report, tying the message securely to the hawk's leg. "Take this to the Hokage," he commanded, releasing the bird into the air with a swift motion. It soared skyward, vanishing into the horizon.
Inoko watched the hawk disappear, a hint of envy in her expression. "Convenient," she remarked, a smirk forming. "Wish I could transfer information that fast."
Shinichi glanced at her with a slight, almost teasing look. "That's one of the perks of having a summoning contract. Keeps communication swift and reliable."
After receiving Inoko's intel, Shinichi gathered the team to brief them thoroughly. He began with a serious tone, "The bandit groups are set to converge in one week. We'll use this time to train, intercepting them before they cross into the Land of Tea."
Satoru, thinking ahead, raised his hand. "Sensei, do you think they might detour to raid a village in the Land of Fire on their way?"
Shinichi shook his head, considering the question. "Their path doesn't pass through any villages. They're likely to head straight for the Land of Tea."
He paused, glancing at Kaito, who then asked, "But what if they decide to take a detour?"
"Each village has shinobi stationed nearby," Shinichi assured. "It'd be foolish for them to risk an encounter with armed guards. They'd be outmatched before even reaching the Land of Tea."
Chosuke cracked his knuckles, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Fine by me. So, what's the plan? What are we learning this week?"
Shinichi smirked. "We'll focus on sharpening your skills. Satoru and Kaito, each of you will train in one elemental jutsu that matches your chakra nature. Alongside this, you'll work on chakra augmentation techniques to boost your abilities. Chosuke," he turned to the eager boy, "you'll spar with me directly and work on your survival skills."
Inoko, who'd been watching the exchange with interest, leaned in with a slight grin. "Mind if I join in the training? It's been a while since I've had real practice."
Shinichi studied her, considering the benefits. "Alright," he nodded, "Kaito, you'll train with Inoko. She can teach you some techniques and strategies. Stay sharp and use this time wisely. The better prepared we are, the easier it'll be to intercept the bandits."