Returning to my house after my successful equipment test, I noticed Chiyo, impatiently tapping her foot with her arms crossed waiting in front of my room.
"Granny Chiyo? What's wrong?"
She sighed and solemnly said:
"Lord Fourth has summoned you, Sora"
What the hell! This guy is already summoning me, can't he give me a break
Chiyo noticed my disgruntled face and spoke out.
"You can't disobey the Fourth Kazekage Sora. But I have something for you."
She handed me 3 glass ampules, inside was a viscous lavender liquid.
"This is a new poison I developed. Use it in your puppets — and here's the antidote, just in case something goes wrong."
"Mission? Why would I need poison?"
"The Kazekage will explain, quit stalling and report to him already."
Why do have a bad feeling about this…
Dejectedly slumping my head down, I made my way to the Kazekages office.
After arriving, I paused contemplating what I've gotten myself into, glaring at the door, before I ultimately decided to open it.
Upon entering the room, I was greeted by a small squadron of three , all of whom seemed very familiar.
Two of which, were those I recognised from the anime, Yashamaru and Baki.
And the third? I decided to mess around with a little bit to vent my frustration.
"Yo, Pakura how's it going?"
"…" She bashfully turned her head away, ignoring me.
I leaned closer and purposefully spoke out loud.
"Are you really going to ignore me because of what happened in my room?" I snickered out.
"Shut up! What are you even talking about! Can't you see we've been summoned for an important mission!", Pakura exclaimed with her face flushing a shade of red.
"Ahem… you kids, this isn't really the time." Yashamaru the Kazekage's brother-in -law said with an awkward cough.
"Can't you see you're in the presence of Lord Fourth." Baki said pinching the bridge of his nose and putting his head down in disapproval .
Baki stood there, his frustration etched on his face, already tired from listening to our bickering.
His face is notably younger than I remember, he seems to be around Pakura's age. He still has his iconic purple face paint with half of his face covered by a a piece of loose hanging cloth. I don't know if that's a fashion statement or maybe it has some sort of practical use in the sand.
"Get along now you three" Yashamaru said trying to mediate us.
"Its fine Yashamaru, after all these three will officially be a team from now on." said Rasa.
"Seriously?!", I couldn't help but blurt out loud.
"Did Lady Chiyo not teach you manners?", Pakura retorted.
"Sora," Yashamaru continued smiling faintly, "these two have already been briefed. Since you came late, you haven't heard — but I am your jōnin leader from here on out, and these two will be your teammates."
"I have hand picked you three as the brightest prospects to the hidden sand, hence why I have entrusted you to my brother-in-law — to ultimately cultivate the future elite of the hidden sand. I have high hopes for you three."
Rasa then leaned forward, his voice taking on a slightly more serious tone.
"I'm sure you guys are aware of Iwagakure's involvement with the recent attack." Rasa went on.
"We have received intel from our espionage division on the location of an Iwagakure supply shipment."
"Yashamaru will be leading you on a highly classified mission to strike at the supply route in question located at the border, inside the Land Of Stone."
Pakura's face lit up in excitement and Baki maintained his stern demeanour in response to receiving the mission. But me? I was distraught, I did not want to get caught up in this war, yet here I am — drafted into it and put in a team without my consent, now set to complete what's most likely going to be high ranked sabotage mission where I now have to perform guerilla warfare.
On the desk in front of us were Konoha ANBU uniforms.
"Wear these. You must ensure they don't find out your identity, so don't use any Jutsu that will link you back to the Hidden Sand."
"You're dismissed."
…
We trekked through the rocky landscape, already having crossed the border of the Land Of Wind enduring an arduous journey through the dunes of the desert.
The three of us lay prone on a distant cliff, peering across the vast landscape and cliffy terrain.
Ahead of us, in the far distance was carts loaded with supplies, in preparation for a prolonged attack against the leaf. It seemed to be a group of Iwa shinobi, they had their standard red uniform and kept a vigilant eye out as they travelled ahead.
"How long are we going to watch them", I muttered.
"Stay patient Sora, we will strike when they are at their most vulnerable.", Yashamaru commanded.
All three of us wore the iconic leaf ANBU mask and wore beige cloaks and carrying short swords on our backs.
After some time had passed it was nightfall, most of the ninjas responsible for transporting the supply had fell asleep, with a few keeping night watch.
Yashamaru raised his hand making a signal, he was about to strike. In his hands were kunais tagged with paper bombs attached, he handed them to me.
"Sora, use your chakra threads to launch this at the crate."
I nodded in agreement. The scintillating chakra looped around the threads at the hilt of the kunai and with the a whip of my hand, they zipped through the air.
Fwip!
The paper tags sizzled momentarily distubing the peace of the night, before exploding with a thunderous boom.
Panic erupted, supplies disintegrated and all ninjas within a few metre radius eviscerated, leaving behind scorched corpses and the smell of fire, drifting through the air.
"Enemy attack!"
The remaining ninjas instantly awoke from their slumber, pulling out their kunai and standing guard, erratically searching for the source of the attack.
Yashamaru, seeing this, signalled us to retreat. We had completed our mission, which was to disturb Iwagakure's supply lines heading to Konoha, purely out of spite for their previous scheme against us but also serving to defer their attention away from Sunagakure.
But right as we were about to flicker away…
BOOM!
A palm pressed on the cliff we were hiding atop, releasing a pulse of flames.
The proceeding shockwave crumbled the sedimentary rock we were standing on, causing it to cascade down as a landlide of loose rocks and debris rained down.
I reflexively charged my actuators of my exo-skeleton, which I already equipped beforehand .
The actuators screech releasing a counterforce to absorb the impact of the fall, I simultaneously attached chakra threads to the rest of my team slowing their descent, as I crashed down, landing enshrouded by a large plume of dust.
As the dust clears, a team of ninjas prepare to launch an attack, spearheaded by a man with spiky hair.
"Captain Gari, you've found them! It's Konoha Shinobi, just as expected."
"'He's Gari of the Explosion Style — stay cautious!' Yashamaru warned as he flung several kunai into the air, making them levitate."
He done this by releasing chakra from his hand over an area, the user can freely manipulate any kunai within that area. This allows the user to either attack opponents from their blindside or surround them with kunai, preventing them from escaping.
Yashamaru leaped forward engaging with Gari, a cacophony of eruptions blew out as each fist released an explosion as it collided with each kunai.
Many of these kunai hurled back, haphazardly ricocheting off the ground. Yashamaru jumped back forced to fight on the back foot.
Baki promptly threw a kunai in Gari's direction, which was yet again deflected with his combustible palm attack propelling it back into his direction.
On the other hand, we were left to deal with the rest of the supply troops who have quickly caught up.
It seems Yashamaru has decided to fight the most skilled shinobi, leaving us to deal with the rest.
Fortunately, the rest of the shinobi seemed like canon fodder as Pakura tore through an Iwa shinobi with a kunai.
Earth Style: Mud Slide!
Multiple Iwa Shinobi formed hand seals and slammed their hands into the ground.
Stone spikes shot out of ground surrounding Baki, he jump up weaved hands seals and counterattacked, using his Wind Style, sending a barrage of wind blades in their direction.
I decided to step in. Chakra flowed into the nodules of the metal frame hidden under my Konoha ANBU cloak, fluttering as power surged within me.
I couldn't use my puppets as it can easily be traced back to Sunagakure, instantly revealing our true identities, so I had preemptively concealed my exo skeleton underneath for this mission.
I retract the hidden blade integrated into the metal bracer attached onto my arm, the pristine blade glistens in the moonlight and the lustrous sheen of lavender drips down.
I've never really practiced swordplay before, so I'm just relying on the brute strength of my exo-skeleton to tear through the opposition.
I stood in a bladed stance, my arm pointing to the ground.
Crack! With a sonorous step shattering the ground beneath my foot , I lunged foward aiming my blade at the nearest Iwa Shinobi as my body whistled through the air. The sheer speed of which made my body morph into a smear — too quick, too powerful —leaving him incapable of dodging.
His organs squelched as the blade pierced directly into his stomach.
"Gah! You Konoha Scum!" He uttered out, as his face contorts with rage, he proceeds to swing at me, encapsulating his hands with stone.
But he didn't realise that my attack wasn't over.
Hissing with ferocity, chakra spewed out the blade, my footing almost lost from the vigorous backlash. I inject chakra into the visceral wound, an immense burst of pressure pours outwards shattering his rib cage and rupturing his insides.
I curtly pulled out the blade, my porcelain white mask painted with the splatter of crimson red.
Baki, who had underestimated me, froze in shock. Even the surrounding Iwa shinobi hesitated, staring at the carnage in horror and debating whether to retreat.
Swish. I presumed my attack slicing through the stunned Shinobi one by one, I laced my blade with Granny Chiyos poison, each slice afflicted each enemy with a paralytic effect.
Earth Release: Earth Style Wall
The petrified man slammed into the ground forming a wall in an attempt to prevent my attack.
But I had another trick up my sleeve(literally), I promptly raised my hand, and charged chakra into my palm. The ensuing sharp popping sounds bellowed in the vast empty battleground, holes rapidly penetrated through the earthen wall as metal shrapnel punctures the body of the man cowering behind it, riddling him with multiple small bullet size cavities gushing out blood like a fountain.
I then turn my gaze towards my squad.
Pakura and Baki continue their respective battles, turning the tide in their favour.
But Yashamaru on the other hand still has his hands tied, so I rush over after flicking blood of my blade.
"Sensei! I'll help!"
In the heat of the moment, I had completely unloaded my entire magazine on that poor guy, so now I had to rely on my blade.
"Everyone retreat!"
But noticing the dire situation, their Captain quickly issued a retreat order.
I was about to lunge forward in pursuit but Yashamaru snapped his hand out, with his fingers splayed stopping me in my tracks.
"Did you forget the purpose of this mission?" He whispered.
It then clicked. We destroyed their supplies, successfully framed Konoha so there's no reason to continue our attack.
If we let them flee, they'll relay information about this attack to their higher ups.
The remaining shinobi quickly gathered and flickered back towards their village.
Yashamaru tailed them ensuring they had actually gone back, returning a moment later.
As a light breeze blew past us, carrying the scent of victory.
"Let's go back, you guys done a good job."
"Can I at least get a pay raise for this, Sensei?"
"Sora what was that tool you used, I've never seen anyone in the puppet brigade use it before."
"Heh… It's nothing much, just a small project I've been working on." I said grinning, wiping my nose with pride.
"Hah! Don't lie, you've locked yourself away for months, not interacting with anyone just to build that." Pakura scoffed.
Time flew by on our way back and we arrived at the Kazekages office.
"How was your first mission?" Rasa inquired as we kneeled before him.
"The mission was successful, We destroyed their supplies and successfully convinced them that we were Konoha ANBU."
Rasa looked down reading the mission report.
"That's great, this team is showing promise to have completed this mission even despite the unexpected setback."
"They all performed well Lord Fourth, in particular Sora he proved to be more capable than I had anticipated."
"Good job, it seems I made the right choice picking out this team. You will receive many more missions from now on. I will relay news of this to the Council."
And just like that, we had successfully completed the first, of the many, missions to come.