Kugutsu no Shinigami

| 6 | Injustice

Tazuna waited patiently at the gates of Konoha. Waiting for the jonin and the genin team that he had ordered to arrive. Is this the right thing to do? He thought, questioning his decision to pay for a C-rank mission when a true threat loomed, foreboding and anonymous. Should I continue?

~~~

I arrive at the gates, slightly worried. I knew that Kakashi noticed it too, but paid it no heed. Tazuna was suspicious. Why would he be drinking sake, especially when he must have been informed of the rule that when hiring a team, no Shinobi village would accept the client to be drunk, not one bit? Something's been set in motion, but what?

I had packed the summoning scrolls of the Nidaime Hokage, as well as a squadron of B-ranks, and an A-rank. Aside from that, I had placed in another scroll (labelled with the kanji for equipment) the barest of essentials, including Ichiraku's Ramen, under preservation seals, two bottles of water, a balm for accelerated healing, and a spare set of blueprints. Just in case of boredom.

Naruto greeted Tazuna, before pouring over his notes. At this rate, the project would be completed in time for the chunin exams.

~~~

It was an hour down the road, and this was beginning to get tedious. Kakashi was reading his Icha Icha, Sakura was firing questions at Tazuna, and I and Sasuke were just walking, lost in thought.

Whilst walking, I glimpse a puddle. Normally, this wouldn't be too much of an issue, but the ground was dry, and it hadn't rained in a month. I glance towards Kakashi, but he was too absorbed in his adult novel to give care. I would have to take things into my own hands.

I unseal the squadron, directing them towards the puddle. Obviously, they had acknowledged my awareness concerning their location and began to rise from the puddle.

Immediately, they're swarmed by B-ranked puppets, with many charging forwards whilst a select portion hang back. Their chain was efficient in deflecting most of my attacks, and the lightning attacks from the ranger-types were conducted towards their gauntlets, but eventually, a senbon got through to one of them, thus killing the man.

"Meizu!" The other howls in agony. He turns to me. By now, the rest of the team had noticed the opponent, who starts to rush towards me, perhaps hell-bent on avenging his accomplice. Needless to say, he wouldn't accomplish that goal, for, on the way, several grunts pinned him to the nearest tree, and Sasuke, with a decent aim, pinned him to it.

I stalk up to him. "Who was your target?"

"I'll never tell you anything," he spits.

I put a vial to his lips. It does take a while, but eventually, it's forced down. "I'll ask you again, who was your target?"

"My target was the bridge builder." I see Kakashi give Tazuna a look that practically screams: "We'll be talking about this, later."

"Is there anyone else with you?" I ask.

He responds in a monotonous voice, just like before. "Yes. Me, Meizu, Zabuza and Haku."

"Zabuza?" Kakashi interjects. "As in, the Demon of the Bloody Mist? A-rank jonin, missing-nin of Kirigakure?"

No response.

I rephrase that. "Zabuza Momochi?"

"The very same," our captive responds.

I slit his throat. There is no need for him, anymore.

Turning to Kakashi, who in kind, pivoted towards the client, I ask: "Why did you mislead us? This is clearly an A-rank mission, not the C-rank that you had paid for."