They headed back to the main road and found the farm that they were sent to as a distraction. As they approached a man came out holding a large club. When he saw that they were Hidden Leaf Ninja he welcomed them into his home.
"Thank you Sir. You have quite the steading here. If I may ask you some questions we will be on our way." Kenji informed the man, Tsun stayed outside and surveyed the property.
"Well shoot, I'll be glad to help you anyway that I can. It was a Leaf Village that saved my life you know."
"That's great sir. Now, how well do you know these hills?" Kenji asked
"Like the back of my hand." The old man answered.
"Now to the west there was a large cave opening that led to a large underground cavern. Are there any other ways into it?" Kenji was getting serious.
"Let me think on that for a minute."
"Well sir I hate to be a pain, but while you are thinking on it, what can you tell me about The Ninja of the Blazing Inferno?"
"Damn those sons of bitches! They came and recruited my son into their ranks. He then came back saying that he wasn't good enough to get in. He killed himself right in front of my eyes." He said full of both anger and sadness.
"Thank you, now back to my question about the other entrances?"
"Oh yes. There is another entrance. My son found it when he…well anyway. It's at the North end of my property I can take you there."
"No sir just tell us about how far and we will find it. This could get real dangerous and I wouldn't want to see you hurt."
The old man gave them almost exact coordinates to the other entrance. If Kenji's suspicions were right, this group had one maybe up to three actual ninja. The rest were recruited, not even knowing what chakra is. If that was the case then most of these people were indoctrinated and believed that this was the only course of action. Tsun and he would have to use nonlethal force to subdue as many people as they could before moving to the leader.
They made their way across the open fields to the north side of the property. Once they got to where the old man had said that found a small cave opening. They would have to crawl in, but they could squeeze in. They pushed their way into the cave opening and dropped down about twenty feet onto the cold stone floor. Kenji smelled the air and pointed toward a small tunnel heading west.
Tsun managed to follow pretty well, due to the rocks containing a mineral that made their own light. They followed the path for a good ways before it opened back up and became more like a mine then a cave. Kenji and Tsun looked every direction for signs of hostiles, but none were to be seen. They couldn't find a soul as far as they searched. Kenji thought for a moment, if they detonated that entrance to keep us from getting in, they had to know there were other entrances and exits. If that was the case then it's possible that they went out one of these other exits and are moving to a new location. However if that is what's going on here why would they take everyone. If these people are just meat shields and not actual ninja then why keep them around and move them as a group? They are still here, they are just hiding waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Kenji and Tsun moved into the large main cavern that they found the previous day. When they moved into the large cavern there seemed to be no one inside. All the tunnels were empty, the supposed training area at the bottom had no one in it, and however the lights were still going.
"They want us in the open. We will just sit and wait, see what happens." Kenji said as they backed into a small alcove.
"Leaf Shinobi I know that you are present in my domain. You will not be able to stop the tide of the coming war. My ninja army is ready for whatever your pathetic village might throw at us. My ninja are loyal and follow my orders without question. They will annihilate you and grind your bones to dust!" The lead man said. "You are now prey of Honoshi. Come now meet your doom!"
"So how are you doing it? A drug? A genjutsu? A poison? It sure as heck isn't your powerful personality. How many of you are real ninja? I'm betting at most three, but I've been wrong before." Kenji said throwing his voice as best as he could.
"All my men are the most elite trained ninja fighting force the world has ever seen. They will be the purging flame that destroys the Lead Village, ushering a new dawn in the land of fire." Honoshi yelled out. "Now men attack!"
Soon men started coming from various hiding places in the cavern. Tsun and Kenji fought them off as they came. Just as Kenji had thought, none were using any form of Ninjutsu or Genjutsu against them. There were cases, like Rock Lee of the Hidden Leaf, where a ninja did not have the aptitude for them, but such cases were rare. Their Taijutsu skills were impeccable however, as they were able to keep Tsun and Kenji on their toes. As they fought wave after wave Kenji and Tsun noticed that Kenji was right. The man calling himself Honoshi stood at the top of the cavern and he was flanked by two men that remained still the entire time.
"I've noticed that your elite ninja don't know any jutsus. How do you expect them to take Konoha if they can't? Even a low level Genin can use basic Ninjutsu!" Kenji yelled calling Honoshi's bluff.
Soon all the men were knocked out and Kenji and Tsun turned their attention to Honoshi and the two other men. Honoshi and his two men dropped into the center of the cavern and removed their robes. The two men removed some giant tetsubo from their backs and rushed Kenji and Tsun. Kenji blocked the attacks with his Kyoketsu Shoge as Tsun cleared the bodies of the unconscious people from the battlefield. Kenji did his best to hold both men at bay until Tsun was done.
"Sensei I have moved all the innocent bystanders. Now we can use our Jutsus!"
Kenji pulled his chain from their weapons and jumped back. Tsun dropped in from above. The two large men made a series of hand signs, "Earth Style stone Pillar!" Suddenly a large pillar made of stone launched itself at Kenji. Kenji quickly side-stepped and simultaneously made his hand signs. "Water Release Technique: Crashing Ocean!" Soon the whole battlefield was flooded with crashing waters.
"Tsun! I need you to handle these two with your glass release! My water style is no use against their earth style. I'll take care of Honoshi!" Kenji yelled while dodging more earth attacks.
"Yes sensei! Glass Clone Jutsu!" Tsun yelled out, making one of his glass clones.
Kenji moved passed the two earth twins, dodging passed their attacks and confronting Honoshi. They clashed kunai against blade of the Kyoketsu shoge. Every so often he would check on Tsun's fight.
I've got to reduce their numbers or they'll pound me into dust. Tsun thought while assessing the situation. He moved close to one of them, dived under the water, and came up from the other side. "Prison of Glass Jutsu!" A modified version of Kenji's waster prison, instead of suffocating the victim however, it slowly pierced their body with glass shards. Unfortunately, similar to the water prison, you had to hold the jutsu in place. Tsun chuckled, at least I made the clone first this time.
One of the earth twins was suddenly encased in a glass style coffin. The glass was two way viewing and he could watch all that was going on outside of it. Tsun then had his clone take focus on the other earth twin. The earth twin looked to his brother in the prison,
"I'll get you out Rokku. Don't worry." The brother that wasn't trapped rushed the Prison and struck the outside of it with his tetsubo.
The tetsubo bounced off and he heard his brother shriek, "Ishi, the glass pushed in deeper when you hit the prison don't do that again."
"What? I thought this was glass? Glass usually breaks if you hit it." The one called Ishi asked.
Tsun smiled, "My glass isn't like normal glass, and it won't break like that. Now face me!"
Kenji smiled, it seems the enemy has learned about Tsun's glass and it being nearly indestructible. Kenji turned his attention back to Honoshi and they both clashed their blades again. Kenji leapt back and raised his hands to his mouth.
"Water Bullet Jutsu!" Five softball sized orbs of water shot toward Honoshi.
Honoshi made a series of hand signs in response. "Illusion of Space Jutsu!"
Suddenly it seemed like Honoshi and Kenji switched places. Kenji looked around and saw the orbs of water from his attack were coming at him. He dodged out of the way and the balls were still coming at him. He quickly realized that he was trapped in a Genjutsu.
"Release!" Kenji yelled and the moment that the Jutsu was released he saw the orbs coming at him. He quickly dropped down, barely dodging the attack. "That is one interesting jutsu. Now I've seen through it I'll be stronger against it."
"Too bad! I was hoping that eventually you would become one of my elite shinobi."
"Shut up about your elite shinobi" Kenji yelled tossing his Kyoketsu shoge managing to wrap the chain around one of Honoshi's arms.
Kenji pulled the chain and the spike tore through the arm flaying it and eventually removing it. Kenji smirked until he saw Honoshi pick up the arm and reattach it. Kenji watched in horror as the lacerations that were made sealed shut and was like nothing ever happened.
Meanwhile Tsun was dodging attacks from Ishi and throwing shuriken like crazy. Every time Ishi's body was about to be hit by them, he'd cover his body in stone. Tsun looked over at the one encased in glass, apparently I have the offensive one trapped in glass and the defensive one attacking me. My glass jutsu's are as about effective as Kenji's water style against this titan. Wait, I have a plan. Tsun dived down toward Ishi and he narrowly dodged a swing form the tetsubo.
"Prison of Glass Jutsu!" Tsun yelled as Ishi was then lifted off the ground and trapped in a glass coffin as well.
"What are you doing? My earth armor will just stop the glass before it can kill me like you did my brother." He said looking at the other prison blood slowly filling it.
"You haven't realized that you are separated from the ground by my jutsu? You can't activate your earth armor in there." Tsun said with a smile. Soon it was all over for the two earth brothers.
Kenji was shocked at this man's regenerative capabilities and soon Tsun had joined him. Kenji looked around for possibilities. Honoshi looked at the tow of them and smiled. Kenji got ready to attack and Tsun drew some shuriken.
"Sometimes, boys, you have to lay your cards on the table and know when to fold them. You flooded my lair, knocked out my pawns, and even killed my bodyguards. You two are the most ruthless Leaf shinobi I have ever come across. So I have decided to let you live for now, but remember I'll be back eventually." He disappeared in a cloud of bats and flew out through a passage in the cavern.
"Tsunade is not going to like this." Tsun noted as they made their way back to the men that were waking up.
"What, what happened? Where are we?" One of the men asked.
Kenji explained the situation and led them back out of the cave. They stopped out at the small farm house and were allowed to stay for the night. The next morning the started their trek back home.