Kenji, Tsun, and Isis had just come back from their latest mission when they heard a ruckus in the middle of town. When they came to take a look they saw a young blonde standing up on a power pole. He seemed to be looking over the whole village with a renewed outlook on life.
"Naruto?" Kenji said, "He must be back from his training with Master Jiraiya."
They made it to Tsunade's office and gave their report. They left Tsunade's office so that Jiraiya could give his report. They figured it would be best if Kenji was taken to the hospital to at least get checked out. When they cleared him he and Tsun waved to Isis saying that they would see her later. Kenji took Tsun to one of the training areas to get in some sparring before their next mission. They made their way to the training area and began sparring.
After a few weeks of training they were finally called back to Tsunade's office. "I need you to go check the border near the Land of Rice Paddies. There have been threats of violence by a group of enemy shinobi. We need you to go investigate and, if things are bad enough, take necessary measures to quell the rebellion. You will be gone a long time, but I trust you two can handle it. Dismissed!"
"Yes milady." Kenji and Tsun responded.
"Come back safe Kenji." Shizune, "Not slung over someone's shoulder covered in bandages please."
Kenji chuckled to himself and promised he'd try. They left the office and grabbed their gear. They began the long hike to the Land of Rice paddies border, waving at the gate guards as they left.
As they made their way down the road to head for the border Tsun called to Kenji, "Sensei, things are going to get bad around here aren't they."
He was of course referring to the Akatsuki soon making their move and Orochimaru still not having been found after three years. "Things will definitely be interesting, but the important thing for us to do is to focus on the mission. We will worry about it when the time comes understood?"
"Yes sensei!" Tsun said with renewed vigor.
They had made good time and eventually made it to the border when Kenji heard a noise in the bushes next to him. Kenji told Tsun to stay put and he would go check it out. When he got to the bushes he found a short old man hiding from them.
"Excuse me, what seems to be the matter sir?"
"Are…are you two shinobi?"
"Why yes sir. We are shinobi from the Village Hidden in the Leaves. What seems to be the matter?"
"My farm is just over that hill and it seems that some rather unscrupulous men have taken it over. I don't have much money, but I'll pay you if you can please get them off my land."
"Well we are here to investigate things in this area. We will see what we can do."
Kenji and Tsun nodded to each other then ran up the hill. They stopped just shy of crossing the top of it. When they began surveillance they saw several men moving about the perimeter, however they seemed to be farm workers doing their jobs. Kenji pounded his fists on the ground.
"Now the enemy knows we are here. That old man was probably a shinobi in disguise trying to lead us away after finding out that we were hidden leaf ninja. Nothing we can do about it now. We will just have to look that much harder and see what we can do."
"Your right sensei, should we split up to cover more ground? You could always summon Mito to contact me if you come across anything."
"That's a good idea and you use your glass eye jutsu ad have it come find me if you find anything understood?" Kenji said already thinking of this plan, but he was always testing Tsun's leadership skills.
They split up and began their search. Kenji went west, while Tsun went east, hopefully neither of them would run into too much trouble. After a while of searching Kenji found a cave system. He got t a good vantage point so he could watch the entrance without being seen.
After several minutes a couple of very large men carrying crates came from inside the cave. Kenji watched them for several minutes, taking note of their size, any pouches they may have had, anything that could give him a clue as to why they were there. Soon he saw a black masked figure step from the cave entrance.
"Didn't I tell everyone to wait? There are two Hidden Leaf shinobi out there right now searching for our little operation."
"Sorry boss, we just forgot." The large men moved back into the cave network.
The masked man soon followed after them. Kenji quietly issued a series of hand signs, taking a bite out of his finger in the process. "Summoning Jutsu." He whispered.
"What's up boss?" Mito the caiman said as he appeared.
"Go east and find Tsun and lead him back to me understood?" Kenji said in a low whisper.
"You got it." At that he was off.
After a couple of hours Mito led Tsun back to Kenji. They both looked at the cave entrance and agreed that it was probably trapped. They moved to the entrance and began searching it all over. When they had found nothing they moved closer into the cave. Soon it was getting very dark inside and Tsun was having a hard time seeing anything. Kenji had barely enough time to react when Tsun had set off a trip wire that led to a poison dart trap.
Kenji sprung across the tunnel and grabbed Tsun before he was hit by any of the darts. Kenji's eyes adjusted naturally to the dark, he figured because of his body's bloodline modifications. Tsun on the other hand couldn't see the rocks in front of his face.
"Tsun, follow my exact movements alright, I will lead us through here."
"Yes sensei."
They moved through the dark tunnels until they reached a large cavernous room. They hid behind some rocks and looked through this room, which was very well lit. Kenji saw men patrolling a few different walkways. Tsun pointed out that at the bottom of the cavern there were men and they looked like they were fighting.
Kenji took note of it when they heard some voices coming from where they just were. How did they get behind us?! Kenji thought. As the men were about to come upon them they seemed to stop and turn back around. Kenji sighed a sigh of relief. The only place that both of them could have effectively engaged them would have been in this large room, but that would have meant fighting everyone in there. Soon in the large cavern room a man was speaking.
"My brothers and sisters soon the time will be upon us when we can destroy the hidden leaf village. We will rise up and the land of fire will have a ninja village worthy of its name. So go now and rest Ninja of the Blazing Inferno!" The man shouted to the crowd and soon it dispersed.
"Well that was interesting. I think that this may warrant informing the Hokage about." Kenji said turning to Tsun who only nodded.
Kenji sent Mito again with a scroll containing all the information that they had just overheard. They made their way back out of the cave and made their way away from its location. After Kenji assumed that they were far enough away they made camp. They would have to rest and take this one slow if they were to figure out the best plan of attack.
They slept through the night and the next morning Kenji saw a messenger bird in the air above them. Kenji whistled for it to come down. When it landed Kenji took the note from its pouch. Lady Tsunade said that all the reinforcements that they could have spared were dispatched to help in some crisis involving the Fifth Kazekage. It would be on Kenji and Tsun alone to take care of this one.
Kenji sighed and looked to Tsun. Tsun tightened his headband and nodded. Kenji laughed at his enthusiasm, but shook his head. They were going to lead people out of the cave and take them out individually, rather than barge in and take them all out at once.
"We will move to the cave entrance. You or I will send a clone in and lead someone out of the cave into a trap that we have made."
"That sounds like a good plan and if I may, I'd like to send my clone in first." Tsun said with a smile on his face.
"By all means, if you have some idea you are working with I'd be happy to let you have first go."
They spent the next several minutes setting up traps and got into ambush position. Tsun sent his Glass Clone into the cave and they waited. They waited a long time before they heard anything. They then heard a man come out and look around.
'Now Tsun!"
Tsun and Kenji leapt down and the man was startled. He dropped to the ground and was apologizing for everything. Kenji bent down to console the man but soon jumped back grabbing Tsun.
"Paper Bombs!"
Soon the man and the entrance to the cave was caught in a fiery explosion. There was nothing left of the man, but a smoldering crater. The cave entrance had collapsed sealing that way inside.
"These guys somehow new that we were out here. Tsun what did you have your glass clone do?" Kenji turned to Tsun.
Tsun bowed down, "I had my clone go in there and take out one of the guards and then take his place. The clone then went to the leader and told him that there was someone outside again. I was trying to make him come out to yell at his followers again."
"That is actually a good strategy, too bad he didn't fall for it. Now we have no way of getting inside this way. At least we have an idea of where they are so we can search for other entrances into the cave. Let's start our search up again, this time we stick together."
Tsun nodded in response and they began searching for another entrance to the cave. The problem with caves it that sometimes they can be miles apart and still be connected. They were getting nowhere quick and Kenji had hoped to move on from this mission after a couple of days. There was just so much environment to search.