142. Foreboding Feelings

MrProper

Just outside Kumogakure walls

POW!

"Ugh!"

"Toroi-senpai did that?" (Tango)

"Yeah, it was a nice session" (Rei)

"Huh...how unlike him" (Tango)

"Is it?" (Suzu)

"He never had students, so I didn't expect he'd do such a thing. Senpai typically does high-level missions like A or S-rank, meaning he almost never teams up with Genin, let alone train them" (Tango)

Never teams up with Genin? But he's going on a mission with Osoi? Albeit the guy is well-versed in shinobi lore enough to be a teacher, at the end of the day, he's still a Genin

"Guess he just likes us" (Rei)

"Uh, guys? We've got more incoming" (Tai)

"Right" (Tango & Rei)

C-rank task right after sparring with Jiton no Toroi1Toroi of the Magnet Style. Least he's making sure we're not missing leg day

"Rei! The left!" (Suzu)

"I got it! Doton: Golem no Jutsu2Earth Style: Golem Technique!" (Rei)

RUMBLE!

"What the-?!"

"Oh crap, look out!"

BLAM!

"GAH!"

"Run away!"

"It's chasing us! It won't sto-oof!"

CRASH!

"Here we go again. Anyone else getting a sense of déjà vu, or is it just me?" (Tai)

"Hey, we're not supposed to kill them, remember?" (Rei)

Plus, I really like sitting back to watch my golem do all the work for me

"No, but I don't think you ought to observe their suffering with such a gleeful look either" {Friggin closet sadist} (Tai)

"A-Ahem. Suzu, how about you and I take care of any fleeing stragglers. Rei, stay with Tai" (Tango)

"Mm" (Suzu)

"Got it" (Rei)

Tango decided on taking us for an actual mission than training session today. The village picked up some criminal activity near a local coast town towards the southeastern side of the country, edging very close to the sea

More specifically, facing towards the isolated, island-chain nation that is Kirigakure3Hidden Mist Village. It didn't pay much, but it's not like I didn't need the cash. Experiments don't come cheap

Hell, these days, I'm just grateful to receive a mission regardless of rank

"Ah, here come some brave ones. They slipped past that sadistic golem of yours" (Tai)

"Cute. Let's deal with this" (Rei)

"Right?" (Tai)

KASHINK!

What the? When did he start using a blade?

"Ha!" (Tai)

DASH!

"Little shit!"

"E-Eh?!"

CLING! POW!

And he knows how to use it too. I've only seen him do basic physical training, so who taught him to wield a sword so well?

"Rei, any day now!" (Tai)

Guess that answer will have to wait, got work to do

WEAVE! CLAP!

"Magen: Narakumi no Jutsu4Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique" (Rei)

ZZUUUU!

"Huh?! Argh, it burns! Why is my skin on fire?!" 

"W-What is this...M-M-Monster?!"

"My legs! What happened to my le-AGH!"

"HELP!! SOMEBODY!"

Nice, control over my power has improved immensely. Casting multiple individuals within my illusions feels so easy now. I'll have to ask Notitia how I compare to Itachi Uchiha 

"Geez! As usual, you're making me feel bad for your opponents" (Tai)

"Oh, they're not in any danger" (Rei)

"I hope so, because we're not supposed to turn them into vegetables" (Tai)

"When it comes to them, everything's gonna be fine. Relax" (Rei)

"You know, every time you tell me to relax, it's usually never fine. Sigh, whatever...oh!" (Tai)

TAK! TAK!

"Cleaned up I see" (Suzu)

"Nice job you two" (Tango)

"Back already? Guess there weren't that many of them" (Rei)

"No. Your golem just did most of the work" (Suzu)

"Are we done?" (Tai)

"Yup, let's prep these guys for transport" (Tango)

"To the village?" (Rei)

"Nope, we're taking them to a bounty office parked next to this town. You guys saw it when we arrived earlier, it's the one just a few meters right of the town entrance. Kuchiyose no Jutsu5Summoning Technique!" (Tango)

WEAVE! POOF!

A cart? Guess we're wheeling them away from here. Personally, I think we should just let them walk

"We're on a schedule, let's get a move on guys" (Tango)

"Yes sir" (Tai & Suzu)

RUMBLE!

Yup, having a golem do the heavy lifting just makes my day. Why couldn't I have this in my previous life? It'd make staff management a hell of a lot easier

Still, something about this feels...off

"Is that the rest?" (Tango)

"Mhm, I think we're done here" (Tai)

"Good. Suzu, go inform the townsfolk nearby that we've taken care of these guys" (Tango)

"Okay" (Suzu)

ZWIP!

"Rei, since your stone servant is so useful, put it to work" (Tango)

"You read my mind, let's get out of here" (Rei)

RUMBLE! THUD!

And just like that, we're already hauling these losers away. I still have this off feeling, like I missed something important. Tango seems to be in a rush as well, and for raiders to attack a town with little to no value is...

"Sensei, do you know where these guys came from? Considering they have a bounty on their heads" (Rei)

"I was curious about that as well" (Tai)

"They're from the Land of Water, that's pretty much all I know. Ah, we're here. You two stay put, I'll handle this" (Tango)

"..." (Rei)

"O-Okay" (Tai)

Yeah, he's definitely hiding something

"What the heck was that about?" (Tai)

"I don't know. But I do have a question for you, about the blade on your hip" (Rei)

"Ah. E-Ehehe, yeah. Just a hobby I picked up during my free time is all. Nothing special" (Tai)

"Kenjutsu6Sword Techniquesas a hobby huh..." (Rei)

"...Something like that" (Tai)

Yeah, that's some bullshit. Considering our crazy new training regime, I've barely had time to go to my lab. As if you can get that good with a blade on your spare time

Ugh! Everyone's been acting weird! Tai, Tango, even nee-san's been acting more secretive than usual. Doing God knows what when I'm not around! And this mission...

"That's all of them" (Tango)

"Right, standard as usual"

"Thanks" (Tango)

Something has been off from the moment we received it. A's been gone before, but only when something was going on, and that behemoth of a man wasn't there

The Raikage is typically present whenever shinobi receive missions at the Mission Assignment Desk, but A was gone today. He wasn't even in his personal office. Highly unusual

"We're done here, let's go home" (Tango)

After Tango collected the bounty, Suzu rejoined us as we headed back home. Along the way, I quietly asked for their thoughts on the matter and Suzu brought up Osoi's mention of a diplomatic mission with Toroi

"Maybe there's an issue somewhere that requires Raikage-sama's attention. Could explain why Tango-sensei is being so tight-lipped about it" (Tai)

"We are just Genin after all" (Suzu)

"Yeah..." (Rei)

And that's exactly why I can't stay as such. Though I have Notitia, there isn't enough information for keeping track of important world events. I need to rank up and gain more intel in preparation for the future...and what's inevitably to come

Speaking of prep, I should head to my lab and see how my other project is doing. I also need to contact Tetsuo

♦♦♦

Kumogakure

Outside one of the village's western gates stood a small shinobi group. Two being Tango and Osoi, meeting some familiar faces

"Funsui-san! Ronri-san! What are you doing here?" (Osoi)

"Hey guys" (Funsui)

"It's an honor to be working with you, Toroi-sama" (Ronri)

"Shouldn't Hikaru's two right-hand men be with him instead of here? Considering all the rumors of trouble on our country's northern coastline" (Toroi)

"We've already dealt with the majority of wannabe pirates and troublemakers over there. Just a few stragglers left, it'd be pretty embarrasin' if my captain couldn't handle that" (Funsui)

{There's been unusual activity all over in the recent months, but a significant amount near our village. It's practically isolating us from the world, and now this mission...} (Osoi)

"I take it you've already been briefed?" (Toroi)

Funsui and Ronri took out papers detailing their assignment directly from the Raikage. Along with passes to get through various checkpoints on the journey to Kusagakure7Hidden Grass Village

"Enough said" (Toroi)

"We have a small boat waiting for you" (Funsui)

"Boat? You don't wish to travel on land?" (Toroi)

"Normally, it wouldn't be a problem, but we're in a hurry. Raikage-sama is nearly ready to escort the Daimyō-sama" (Funsui)

"There are too many stops between us, and Kusagakure" (Ronri)

Kumogakure was the most eastern shinobi village on the continent, rivaled only by Kirigakure. Kusagakure lay closer to west, one of three small shinobi villages sandwiched between three of the Five Great Shinobi Nations. The Lands of Fire, Wind, and Earth respectively

In order to make it to their destination with haste, the team had no choice but to ignore the excessive amount of borders. Ronri took out a map and opted to sail along the continents northern coastline, bypassing most of the villages

"We can dock at a beach near Takigakure8Hidden Waterfall Village, particularly, the western side of its land" (Funsui)

"Once there, we'll make a beeline south, arriving at the prison before the others make it to the village" (Ronri)

"That's means...we'll only have to go through two or three checkpoints at most. Why didn't I think of that?" (Osoi)

{As usual, these two make it obvious why Hikaru favors them. They're seaworthy warriors ready for war at anytime} (Toroi)

"The boat we have is small, but fast, built for quick infiltration with small teams. Never thought we'd be using it for a diplomatic one" (Funsui)

"Nor I, but we need to arrive at our destination before Raikage-sama and the Daimyō-sama begin negotiating" (Ronri)

"How long before arrive?" (Toroi)

"A journey of this scale normally takes four to five days. But with my route, we can be there within thirty-nine hours at minimum, long before our leaders arrive at the village" (Ronri)

With Ronri's plan clearly seen as the most optimal, as the team captain, Toroi wasted no more time. Ordering Funsui to escort everyone to the boat waiting for them

"We all know what's at stake here, no mistakes!" (Toroi)

"Understood!" (Everyone)

It wasn't long before the small team was off, heading to their intended target. Something still gnawing at him, Osoi couldn't stop contemplating about the current situation. There was much he didn't understand...which he hated more than anything else

{Agh! Enough worrying! Come on Osoi, focus! You've got a job to do!} (Osoi)

"Ronri, you see it?" (Funsui)

"Yeah. Captain, it won't be long before we reach our country's border" (Ronri)

"Alright! From this point forward, cut the chatter! Other villages and countries won't take kindly to a covert team sailing so close to their lands!" (Toroi)

But he knew random theories would only serve as a distraction and shifted his focus on the mission itself...

"..." (Osoi)

Completely unaware of what's to come...