Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine. Touhou is not mine. True fanfiction writing doesn't pay. Isn't it sad, Sacchin?

All hail ZUNtaniaaaaa!


Chapter 7 – Goal Kick


"… By now, a total of a month and a half has passed as Team 9 tackled D-rank missions while preparing for practical lessons in their craft of archery. Being the hot-heads they are, Naruto and Michiru were flabbergasted when they learned that I had forbidden them to even touch their bows before my physical conditioning and theory lessons are completed. To maximize their effectiveness as a sniper unit, this week I had them learn a genjutsu called Wakedorime no Jutsu, where they can share vision and surveillance over limited areas," Eino reported at length of what the team had done over the past weeks. "… and that concludes my report for this week, Hokage-sama."

"Excellent work…" the wizened old man replied. "I suppose I'll also give you an update on Project Migite, then."

"How far has the project progressed, Hokage-sama?" Eino asked hopefully. "The faster we can deploy the ARMS to Team 9, the better it is for the village."

"Based on the schematics the decoders had managed to understand, we have successfully completed a prototype codenamed Unit Kurogane," the Hokage said, throwing a knowing look to the jounin sensei. "Initial testing with Endan and Suidan[1] shows promising performance, but we won't know for sure until a true Danmaku no Jutsu expert tests it."

"Very well, Hokage-sama. I shall lend my expertise for testing, if you can provide secure testing grounds," the jounin instructor said tentatively as he cast a glance to the Hokage.

"Training grounds fifteen and twelve will be set aside for that," the Hokage agreed. "You might want to bring your team, too. They can get a glimpse of what they will truly be capable of."

"Very well, Hokage-sama," the jounin complied.

"Now for more serious matters," the Hokage leaned forward with a veiled look of interest. "Are they biting, Eino?"

"I cannot say for sure, Hokage-sama… I've given them the secrets you have given me clearance of, and a detailed map of Konoha, but they still seem a bit wary," Eino reported calmly. "Chances are, he is still looking for an alliance to further bolster his forces."

"Good. It means we can still catch them by surprise… when they attack," the Hokage chuckled softly.

"Aaah, I'm boored~" Naruto groaned as he moved to sweep the temple grounds. Today was a festive day, with the shrine celebrating the first fifty days of its opening.

"At least you don't have to wear this silly miko outfit[2]," Michiru grunted back. "I swear, I have never worn more revealing clothes than this! God, my sides feel all funny and cold…"

"I-I think th-they are… cute… s-somewhat…" Hinata meekly piped up.

"Et tu… Hinata?" Michiru exclaimed, with mock hurt on her expression.

"Yeah, so cute it's troublesome," a familiar face grunted.

"Gah! Shikamaru, you surprised me!" Michiru exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Just paid my respects to the Kami," Shikamaru explained lazily. "As well as trying out a new place to watch the clouds…"

"Man, you can be such a lazyhead sometimes…" Naruto grunted as he gathered his dry leaves and then sat nearby. "How're your missions?"

"Troublesome as ever…" Shikamaru grunted as he plopped down on the base of a nearby tree. "Mainly troublesome deliveries. Chouji botched one mission in Pia Carrot when he overcooked the potatoes… pah, that Makiko can be such a troublesome, troublesome employer sometimes."

"Hearing a name with 'troublesome' mentioned twice from you must mean that she's quite the slave-driver…" Michiru grunted as she walked to sweep a few yards from Shikamaru's resting place. "Our mission usually sends us here. Making repairs, cleaning and stuff…"

"Unfortunately it brings us to contact with Lord Duckbutt Uchiha the Last quite often," Naruto remarked morosely. "Apparently he has been offering prayers to Lord Bishamonten quite often. A bit softer than usual, but still plenty dickish if you ask me."

"That," Shikamaru commented, "Actually is an amusing nickname for once."

"Let's get ourselves all a nickname then!" Michiru suggested excitedly. "You'll be… er… Lord Pineapple Nara the Second! Your father had a similar hairstyle, no?"

"Haaa? What manner of a troublesome name is that?" Shikamaru snapped quickly.

"Ara, aren't you people lively," Reimu cut in as she approached the quartet.

"Ah, R-reimu-san!" Hinata greeted hastily. "We're just about finished here…"

"Good work, good work," Reimu praised lightly. "The three of you are finished for today."

From a distance, Eino gazed at the three young people. His mind wandered, thinking of a meeting with the Hokage a few days ago.

"I attend to your summons, Hokage-sama," Eino said, his mind questioning as he entered the Hokage's office for the second time this week.

"Well then, let us be brief. A letter of great urgency has been sent for you from Armorica," the Hokage mentioned, cutting through the preamble. "Your… acquaintance from… what do you call it… Tekasasu sent it."

"What?" Eino grunted, taken by surprise. "It must be of great importance indeed… may I know what the communication details are, Hokage-sama?"

"There you go, Eino," the village's supreme commander intoned as he handed Eino a thin bundle of paper. "I can barely understand their Armorican… so many big words."

"Hmm… I see… oh my… this is indeed of great importance, Hokage-sama…" Eino mumbled in uncertainty as he read through the letter. "It is said here that the Empire of Rosskia had made their move and started their expansion… further towards the west. They have sent a platoon of their soldiers to establish a base on the mainland. My sources say that they may be the very elites… The Rosskian Empire's special forces…"

"That is sensitive news," the Hokage remarked, his mood changing from gauged to grim. "A covert invasion…?"

"But we have no concrete proof supporting this notion, Hokage-sama," Eino interrupted his own commander in mid-sentence. "Your decision to send me on a long-term mission to Armorica was not even disclosed fully to the council… they can turn against you if this would-be invasion became known, sir. The last thing we need now is another broken alliance."

"Well anyway, I'll step up security on the eastern borders a bit… too much would raise suspicion. Luckily, there's a new C-rank mission that will lead you to the eastern shores of Fire Country. I'll reserve it for you," the Hokage said after a moment's contemplation. "I want you to scout that stretch of shoreline for signs of infiltration, Eino. Consider this an additional recon mission for you."

"Consider it done, sir," the jonin sensei complied, saluting his commander. The testing of the Kurogane will have to wait, he thought.

"Whoa, sensei! What are you doing here?" Naruto exclaimed upon seeing Eino approaching them from the direction of the main worship hall.

"I'm here to hand you your laurels, of course," Eino replied as he smiled towards Reimu. "You three have completed your archery conditioning and theories, thus earning your right to wield your own bows in practice and battle."

"All right!" Naruto and Michiru exclaimed aloud, before doing a high-five. Hinata smiled and blushed but kept silent, but anyone familiar with her could see that her expression was comparable to a normal person grinning from ear to ear.

"I have blessed the bows in the name of Lord Bishamonten, and Lord Bishamonten himself dictated that every wielder of weapons blessed in His name must be worthy of it," Reimu interjected. "By your sensei's account and judgment, and by my judgment of the zeal and devotion you three have shown while working here… I have pronounced you all worthy. Stop by the shrine after you change."

"ALL RIGHT!" the two hotheads of Team 9 shouted as they pumped their fist in victory. Not only were they given their personal weapon, it was blessed in the name of the war god as well.

"But that is not all. I've obtained the details for our C-rank mission… Reimu-san, Shikamaru, do you mind?" Eino said while signaling Shikamaru to leave the general area. Shikamaru, taking the cue, left the jounin sensei and his three charges, with Reimu not far behind.

"It's a little bit out of the ordinary… we are to do an escort and support duty for an expedition to the newly-established Kurodani Natural Reserve. It's located in Hitotsubashi province, a five-day trek to the coastal area," the jounin sensei continued his explanation as Reimu moved out of earshot.

"Ugh… doesn't seem very intriguing," Naruto groaned, "I thought we'll be going to some hot zone or something…"

"Ahahah, I get your anxiety, my pupil," the sensei responded, "But let me tell you this: I've been told by the Hokage that we are to attempt count the number of one of the rarest animal on the face of the continent."

"M-may I ask what manner of animal would that be, s-sensei?" Hinata meekly interrupted.

"It's called the Twin-tailed Weasel, a small animal that were said to be descendants of the Nibi. As the chronicles say, they bear curative powers in their blood, and were hunted to extinction a few decades ago," the sensei explained as he read from the assignment scroll. "It's further said here that… um… the rare animal was known to be extinct for many years until a confirmed sighting were reported in Kurodani valley. A reserve was quickly set up, and the central government body of the Fire Country is trying to ascertain the number of animals remaining."

"Sounds absolutely charming," Michiru said, "If we can't find the weasel, it'll be as good as a vacation for us."

"But sensei… we haven't actually practiced our archery yet…" Hinata meekly cut in.

"Don't worry. We still have five days before the party we will be guarding passes through Konoha," the sensei calmed his charge.

"Straighten those shoulders, Naruto! You won't get as much power out of the bow unless your motion-flow is right!" Eino barked as he corrected Hinata's poise. "Michiru, quit that ice-making of yours! Your bowstring is still twanging!"

"Yessir!"

"Yes, sensei!"

From a distance, the Hokage looked on as the three genin strove hard to improve their bow form in time for their C-rank mission. Two ANBU agents flanked the top man in the village, while the third, carrying a box almost four feet long, trailed a few steps behind.

"Has the surrounding area been secured?" the Hokage discretely asked.

"We made sure that there's not a soul within half a mile except us and Team 9," the sparrow-masked ANBU said.

"Most of the known members of the Root faction have been deliberately misled to believe that the commissioned weapon is a chakra-channeling bow, similar in principle to the Hinanai family's Nijiken-type swords," the other, alligator-masked agent added.

"Good. The replica must be present in my office by tomorrow morning," the Hokage replied with a knowing smile. "Let's meet them, shall we?"

"Well then, that's a wrap!" Eino sternly hollered as the clock hit six o'clock. "Hinata, open those shoulders and legs more. No slouching. Naruto, work on your motion-flow and try to be stealthier. Michiru, lift that right elbow and try to lessen the twang in your bowstring when you fire."

"I didn't know that you can be that strict, Eino," the Hokage said in a grandfatherly tone as he made his appearance known. "Good evening, Team 9."

"Sir!" the team quickly saluted.

"At ease," the Hokage dismissed the formal demeanor. "How's the training going, Naruto-kun?"

"Well… we got the basics down alright," Naruto sheepishly replied. "Though we're not quite advancing yet. Eino-sensei said our basic form still needs work… but we're working on it, believe it!"

"Good then. It seems your sensei's decision in choosing you for the team worked well," the Hokage said in his response. "Now, anything that happens here after this sentence does not go out of this field. Are we clear on that, genin of Team 9?"

"Yes sir!" Michiru was the first to reply.

"U-understood…" Hinata meekly followed.

"You can count on me, Old Man!" Naruto topped it off. "Believe it!"

"Very well. The weapon you're about to see is the weapon you will eventually wield in battle," the grand old man said as the sparrow-masked ANBU set the wooden box on a nearby table. "This is the weapon which will be vital in our future. Currently, only your sensei can wield the weapon, but it is you three who will teach its usage to future generations."

"I thought you were going to postpone the testing until we come back from the mission, sir?" Eino asked the supreme commander.

"It will give more chance for Root to compromise our cover," the old man replied knowingly. "Some of their agents higher up the command chain are starting to sniff out the decoy documents. Do begin the test, Eino. Genin, behold… Prototype Kurogane."

"That's a cool name!" Naruto enthusiastically commented.

"It must be an awesome weapon indeed…" Michiru added as Eino opened the box and hefted the weapon.

The weapon itself was pretty large, almost as long as Naruto was tall. Large parts of the weapon were constructed from fine and well-oiled wood, but the dark-colored metal pipe and mechanisms mounted on the wooden frame stood out. Its peculiar handle suggested a different use than a quarterstaff, but the correct way to use it was lost to the three genin.

"It looks… like a spear…" Hinata observed in the receding dusk.

"Shall I start, Hokage-sama?" Eino asked as he got into firing position.

"Go ahead," the Hokage replied. "The agents have prepared several candles along the tree line for targets… around seventy, maybe a hundred feet."

"Then, let's go," Eino commented as he prepared the weapon using his chakra. "Hinata, can you assist me with Wakedorime no Jutsu?"

"Yes, sensei!" Hinata complied, running the hand-seals for the Shared Eye Jutsu while activating her Byakugan to extend her field of vision. She then placed her hand on her sensei's shoulder, initiating the vision-sharing. The jutsu enabled two people to share their field of vision, thus enabling Hinata to act as a 'scope' to Eino.

There was a pause for a few seconds before a brilliant streak of light exited the barrel. The streak of light sped through the air in awe-inspiring speeds, hitting and destroying the first candle like a knife through tofu. Hinata winced as she saw up-close with her Byakugan just how precise her sensei made the shot.

"As I thought…" Eino sighed in dismay. "Michiru, can I have some ice, please?"

"Uh… okay, sensei…" the ice-wielder said as she conjured a block of ice the size of the palm of her hand.

"Old Man, that's pure awesome!" Naruto hollered enthusiastically.

"As… 'awesome' as it is, prototype Kurogane is nearly useless in a real battle situation, Hokage-sama," Eino finally delivered his verdict, as the Fuyukaze-generated ice hissed on contact with the metal parts of Kurogane. "The balance of the weapon is indeed very good, suited for long-range shots. However, the steel used for the barrel is not chakra-saturated and tempered enough in the making, resulting in poor chakra compression and very fast heat buildup. I think Prototype Kurogane can't fire more than one shot at a time, and even then it can't fire before cooling down enough to allow the metal to settle back to its original shape. If we shoot from this state, the barrel might melt… or worse still, explode."

"Hmm, that's a noteworthy judgment… you're the weapon expert on this one alright," the third agent, a bear-masked ANBU remarked as the special operative jotted down some details. "Any workaround for this? For future models, perhaps?"

"We… may try reinforcing the insides of the barrel with Fuuinjutsu," Eino suggested. "The seals will aid in achieving the desired chakra compression, as well as helping curb the heat problem…"

"I think a matrix of water, fire, and metal should help perfectly on this," the Hokage added. "Although inscribing a seal on metal would present a whole new level of complication…"

"Er… are they even talking in Common anymore?" Michiru sighed exasperatedly as the three genin witnessed the discussion between their sensei, the Hokage, and Bear-Mask drag on.

"…They lost us," Naruto remarked, imitating a well-known panel in his favorite manga.

"Team, I'll be staying for further testing," Eino mentioned as he turned from the three-way discussion. "You three can go home and prepare for our departure tomorrow. Bring your standard survival gear, I'll handle the rest. Gather on the East Gate at 10 o'clock sharp. Training dismissed."

"Remember, not a word," the Hokage reminded.

"Count on me, Old Man!" Naruto proudly hollered.

"N-Not a word, H-Hokage-sama," Hinata replied meekly.

"I swore on my Nindo!" the last reply from Michiru rang out.

"Heya Hinata!" Michiru said as she ran to their designated meeting place. "Am I late?"

"N-no, Michiru-chan…" Hinata replied, toying with a strap of her rucksack. "Naruto was here, but he went to… er, I think the toilet, a few minutes ago…"

"Sensei isn't here yet?" Michiru questioned further.

"He sent a… bunny here earlier…" Hinata answered, pointing to a small pile of rucksacks, arrow tubes, quivers, and bow cases on the ground. "He said he was picking up our clients…"

"Ooh, Michiru-chan!" Naruto greeted, finished with his business in the toilet. "We're good to go, then!"

"Just out of curiosity Naruto… did you bring instant ramen for your provisions…?" Michiru probed cautiously.

"Yeah! As if you had to ask?" Naruto proudly mentioned. "It's easy to make, delicious, and can be eaten dry! Very convenient!"

"Aaah… shouldn't have asked…" Michiru grunted, putting her hand to her face.

"Ah, you three are gathered," the sensei greeted with two men and a woman in tow. "Gentlemen, these are my disciples. They will be helping me ensure your safety."

"Ah, what lively youths!" a bearded, burly middle-aged man exclaimed. "I am Genjiimaru Youki, a retainer of the Morichika clan. Nice to meet you!"

"I'm Rinnosuke Morichika, and this is my little sister and erstwhile secretary Tokiko," the younger, bespectacled man said. "The Daimyo of The Fire Country tasked our clan with the noble responsibility, since Hitotsubashi had always been our ancestral home. I hope we can work well together."

"Hello… I hope we wouldn't cause too much trouble…" the white-haired girl with streaks of blue bangs added bashfully.

"Nice to meet you three! I'm Naruto Uzumaki, she's Hinata Hyuuga, and the girl in blue is Michiru Nogami!" Naruto replied with enthusiasm matching Genjiimaru's. "We're going to protect you with all our might! Believe it!"

"Well then, now that we know each other, let's get started on the journey," the jonin sensei concluded. "We'll be making our first stop at the town of Kuribayashi, so let's get walking. Genjiimaru-san, lead the way. Naruto, you take the rear with me. Hinata, Michiru, be ready with your bows on the flanks. Team Nine, begin mission."

"Yes sir!" The three team-members complied, quickly hauling their own packs, quivers, and weapons.

"Lively and well-trained," Genjiimaru chuckled. "I feel safe already."

Far away, in the shores of Hitotsubashi…

"Faster, faster!" a man clad in camo uniform barked. "I want the command camp up and running in thirty minutes! Move, move, move!"

"A strange land indeed, Kapitan," A stern-looking woman emerged from the just-arriving transport vessel. "How long will our current supplies last?"

"We have been on the sea for little over two months," the captain replied respectfully. "Our rations will last about two weeks at most. We have plenty of weapons and ammunitions, though."

"Very well. I'll set up hunting-scouting parties, and those groups are to start documenting local landmarks starting tomorrow. Establish perimeter and set temporary patrols," the female commander rattled. "We are to establish foothold in this region as Moscow dictated."

"Consider it done, Colonel Kaminsky," the captain saluted as he turned to issue more commands to his subordinates.

...

The Fire Nation is one of the leading world powers in the continent. Its major streets are wide and well-traveled, owing to the lively trade between its towns and cities. Security, however, remains an issue in more remote areas. The towns and cities are provided with their own City Watches by the daimyo, but since they are spread rather wide apart, the areas between them can have their fair share of bandits and highwaymen. In fact, a fair share of C-class missions in Konoha are escort details requested by people all across the country.

In fact, Team 9 would have a taste of such lack of security as they continued on with the journey. They were a day and a half off Kuribayashi, traversing through the hilly road between Kuribayashi and Hibachi, the first large town in Hitotsubashi province along their way. The forests around them were moderately thick, with hilly terrain suitable for ambush.

"S-sensei… I sense unknown chakra signatures…" Hinata whispered as she fell back to her sensei guarding up the rear. As if on cue, the sensei signaled for Naruto to take her place in the left flank of the little group. "Maybe four… five people…"

"The Killbox…" Eino grunted discretely, readying his own bow.

"I-I thought… i-it was termed… 'ambush', sensei?" Hinata asked unsteadily. Grogginess seeped into the grip to her bow. After all, this was her first real mission, away from the safety of the village and all.

"The Ambush, where they stop us, is ahead. The Killbox, where they will kill us as we try to escape, is here," the jonin sensei whispered, before saying something more loudly. "Genjiimaru-san! I take it you are a Bushi[4]?"

"Well yes!" Genjiimaru replied with an offhand remark. "Good with the sword and the spear!"

"He is one of the best our clan has to offer, Yagokoro-san," Rinnosuke cuts in. "Also my tutor, if I am to add."

"Then I will entrust the safety of Tokiko-dono to you, Rinnosuke-dono," Eino said, still aloud. "We are having company in a few. Team, under no circumstance are you to leave Rinnosuke-dono and Tokiko-dono!"

"You can count on me for that!" Naruto grunted.

"Yes sir~" Michiru replied gleefully.

"We shall stop here and wait," Eino commanded, still in a loud voice. "No point in deliberately running into ambush and getting really surrounded."

"S-sensei, aren't we supposed to quiet down…?" Hinata asked quietly, slightly fidgeting.

"Ambushers usually rely on the element of surprise… by telling them that we're ready, we eliminate that element," the sensei explained. "Now, can you help me with Wakedorime no Jutsu?"

"Y-y-yes, sensei!" Hinata quickly complied and did the vision-sharing genjutsu. As soon as Hinata's hand made contact to Eino's shoulder, he could feel his vision change, expanding and turning into slightly bizarre, swirling greyscale imagery.

"O-on your left, sensei… three people… I t-think," Hinata mentioned carefully. "A-around our b-back… two… m-maybe three more… Th-they haven't m-moved, though…"

"I see… Hmm… How would you like the taste of… this?" the sensei whispered as he nocked his own yumi[5], letting the arrow sit for a second before swiftly firing it.

With a quiet 'thump' sound, Hinata could see the arrow embedding itself on the sensei's target: a highwayman's head. She winced as she witnessed the man's chakra flow go haywire for a second before vanishing altogether. A long whistle quickly sounded from the direction Eino shot.

"S-sensei! A-about five people f-from the front!" Hinata alerted as new chakra signature approached fast from further along the path.

"Genjiimaru-san, I leave the approaching bandits for you! Naruto, Try to cover Genjiimaru-san! Do not hit him!" Eino commanded. "Michiru! Shoot to the direction where I shoot!"

"Yes sir!" Naruto and Michiru quickly complied.

"A-Arrows!" Hinata groggily warned as her Byakugan detected projectiles coming at them. "G-get down!"

A split-second later, several arrows fell from above, one just missing Hinata and another pinning a tip of Tokiko's hakama to the ground.

"K-kyaaaa!" Tokiko shrieked.

"Use our bags as shields, Rinnosuke-dono!" Eino commandedwhile nocking his yumi again. "Stay low!"

"A-a-another i-incoming, s-sensei!" Hinata warned again, dropping her bow to cover Tokiko with a makeshift shield made from her mission rucksack.

"They're quite fast…" Eino grunted as he released the arrow towards a low ledge where the arrow-shooting bandits had hidden a few moments ago. Without support from Hinata's Wakedorime no Jutsu, his best bet now was shooting by memory, hoping that the bandits didn't move from their current 'nest'. "Are they double-strafing…?"

"Oh, more of our friends have shown up I see!" Genjiimaru remarked as he drew his katana out from its sheath, anticipating the approaching bandits who were now within visual range. "Let the arrows loose, boy!"

"On it, sir!" Naruto replied, a grin forming on his face as he fired an arrow aimed to a bandit's head. It hit somewhat lower, but enough to incapacitate the man.

"Kill 'em! They're Konoha imposters!" a bandit wearing an old breastplate shouted. "No ninja used bow and arrows!"

"Not on my watch!" the retainer bellowed mightily as he slashed the stomach of the highwayman closest to him.

"Hot dang he's strong!" Naruto commented hotly as he let loose another arrow to an open back of a bandit. By now he had distanced himself from Genjiimaru, letting the bear of a man hack and slash his way through the remaining bandits.

"S-sensei! Th-the bandits w-waiting at our rear are approaching!" Hinata again sounded her concern. "T-two… no! Th-three!"

"Bah, this is wearing us out…" Eino grunted. "Naruto! Stall the approaching bandits with your Kagebunshin but do not engage them yourself! Michiru, support Naruto!"

"On it, sensei!" Michiru and Naruto quickly replied, swiftly obeying as Eino dropped his yumi and ran through the hand-seals needed for Danmaku no Jutsu.

"Kagebunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto bellowed as he spawned six clones of chakra constructs, all ready for a fight. Mentally he willed them to engage the approaching hostiles, as Eino separated himself from the group to engage the hidden bowmen.

"Die, bandits!" Michiru bellowed as she let loose an arrow aimed to a bandit in melee with Naruto's shadow clone. It accidentally hit a clone, the arrow falling harmlessly to the ground as the clone dissipated. "Uhhh… woopsies. Sorry Naruto!"

"Yowch, that looks nasty. Good thing I wasn't actually there…" Naruto remarked as he saw the spectacle. He quickly spawned another six clones, all now standing by around the main group.

The fight was concluding as fast as they had started. Genjiimaru was clearly not a fair match for the poorly-trained bandits, and one by one they fell to the might of his blade. Naruto and Michiru worked well in eliminating their share of bandits, while Hinata had her Byakugan active to look for further reinforcements and hazards while providing some measure of protection to Tokiko and Rinnosuke.

"Haha! I knew these thugs were just untrained stragglers…" Genjiimaru remarked as the last bandit he was taking care of fell. "Done here! Everybody okay?"

"Apart from my little sister's hakama, we're alright Genjiimaru-san," Rinnosuke answered, patting his sister's head to comfort her.

"That's the last of them, I hope!" Michiru commented as she downed the last of their share of attacking thugs with a well-placed shot to the throat.

"Where's Eino-sensei, though?" Naruto wondered as he picked up his own bow, discarded in the process of casting Kagebunshin no Jutsu.

"Uhh… I-i think he's done t-taking care of the bowmen," Hinata said, her Byakugan still active and tracking Eino.

A few minutes later, Eino emerged from the direction he went chasing the bandits. A few leaves could be seen sticking to his silvery hair, but otherwise the jonin was unscathed.

"Ah, I see we're done here. Good job, Team. Thanks for the help, Genjiimaru-san," Eino said as he reached for his canteen and took a sip.

"Don't sweat it! I needed the stretch anyway," Genjiimaru said lightly as he wiped the blood on his sword with a cleaning paper.

"S-sensei… There are… several of the bandits who are still breathing…" Hinata meekly mentioned to the jonin tutor. "Are… we going to help them…?"

"Aaah… that's a hard one…" Rinnosuke grunted. "On one side, they're human… on the other side… they're thugs…"

"Do you know the way from here to Hibachi, Rinnosuke-dono?" Eino asked quickly.

"Well, yes. I think it'll be a little more than four hours' walk from here," Rinnosuke explained as he looked around for distance markers. "Our clan's entourage used this road a lot when traveling to Edo, so I am quite familiar with the routes…"

"Very well. Genjiimaru-san and I will stay for a while to give the survivors some first aid. The rest of you will continue to Hibachi. This is an order. Understood?" Eino commanded to the entourage.

"Yes sir," Naruto and Michiru complied almost immediately.

"B-but sensei… I-I might be able to…" Hinata stuttered in her reply.

"That is an order, Hinata," Eino replied, his tone grim and slightly lower than usual.

"Y-yes sensei," Hinata mumbled as she hauled her pack.

"We'll be fine," Genjiimaru assured the gray-eyed genin with a pat on her shoulder. "You should accompany Tokiko-sama, Hinata-kun. She still seemed a bit shocked."

"Get going," Eino said softly to Hinata. "Save some energy and don't tire your eyes, Hinata. Your Byakugan will be vital for the mission."

"I-I will… sensei, Genjiimaru-san," Hinata replied shortly.

The small entourage consisting of the three genin of Team 9, Rinnosuke, and Tokiko then sets off. Hinata stayed close with Tokiko, while the rest of them guarded the two girls with a triangle formation. The two men who stayed behind just looked.

"It's hard protecting their innocence, isn't it?" Genjiimaru said as the entourage vanished around the bend further some ways down the road. "May I have some water?"

"Yeah. Those children are taught to fight their opponents in battle to the fullest… and ready to put their life on the line for the mission," Eino grimly noted while handing his canteen to the middle-aged man. "Yet the concept of mercy killing is deliberately left out from the curriculum…"

"This isn't mercy killing, though," Genjiimaru sighed as Eino handed him his canteen. "We samurai simply called this 'justified'."


Glossary:

[1]: 'Endan' comes from two Japanese phrases, 'en' which means fire and 'dan' which means bullet. IINM, it's a basic fire jutsu that lets the user shoot fireballs at enemies. 'Suidan' is a similar jutsu of the water (hence the 'sui', which means 'water') element.

[2]: Now, Michiru and Hinata are wearing the infamous 'armpit miko' outfit, rather than the standard hakama and gii Reimu wore in the last chapter before this. In this fic, that uniform is reserved for festivals and ceremonies.

[3]: I wanted to use the term 'Black Ops', but it doesn't seem appropriate enough.

[4]: Bushi is a general Japanese term for 'warrior'.

[5]: Yumi is the word for the Japanese longbow. It's quite different than a European/English one. Do note that Team 9 genin uses the simpler composite bows.


Author's Notes:

Been awhile, i know. Thank you for my betas Erendhyl and Megaolix for the continued support, and to dear readers who kept me going with their trickle of reviews and alert subscriptions. On a different note, I'm thinking to do JulNoWriMo next month, and i had a little something in mind. Wish me luck!