"Damn," Naruto's lips curled in disgust as he and Tenten examined the body. The drizzling rain came down limply from the slate grey sky overhead.
At his fiancee's behest, they had gone out to one of the towns that had found a body. Shion hadn't been lying, it was grisly. The poor man's visage was forever frozen in terror, rigor mortis only solidifying the grim expression until it appeared cut from stone. According to the local guard a farmer had found the corpse in his barn where it had been left until he and Tenten arrived.
"Who could do something like this?" Tenten breathed. "And why kill him like that?"
She didn't need to specify, it was the most obvious thing about the corpse. The cadaver's chest and abdomen had been cut open, gutted like a fish, and pried open. Where there should have been the remains of organs there was nothing but ragged chunks. There was barely any blood either save for the dried patches on the victim's face and chest. It was enough to make Naruto almost heave, but it also brought up a dozen questions.
"Organ traffickers maybe? They took his blood and guts to sell on the black market?" this thing was more Sakura's specialty, and how he wished she was here.
"One of our men suggested something similar until we looked a bit more," one of the nearby soldiers mentioned, pointing.
Just below the chasm of flesh was a symbol, intricately drawn with painstaking detail. It's black color was now muddled with brownish-red where blood had seeped into the ink, but he could discern the image. An almost grinning skull with a snakelike creature clamped in its jaws, the beast curving beneath its chin to swallow its own tail. Around the skull's head strange markings that suggested feathers or spokes radiated from the top and sides of the design. It was something that would have taken hours of work to get right, and it wasn't a simple tattoo either.
Worryingly, Naruto was reminded of Orochimaru's curse mark and what it had done to Sasuke. Was this something similar? He and Tenten shared a glance before stepping away from the body, giving the go-ahead to pack it up and take it away.
"What do you think, Tenten?"
"The incisions were made with a sharp blade, obviously, but that isn't a combat wound. It was done deliberately, slowly."
Naruto felt a spark of anger. "He was made to suffer then?"
"Very likely," she spoke grimly. "My best guess is that it was a specialized tool. The edges of the wound weren't ragged and suggest almost surgical precision and steadiness. That kind of thing isn't something one pulls off in the middle of a battle."
"And he wasn't a fighter anyhow. Reports say this guy was a travelling merchant who went missing somewhere up country."
"Think that's where we'll find them?"
"It's a start," Naruto mumbled as he stepped away. The light rain had made the surrounding landscape mushy and uneven to walk. The weather perfectly matched his mood. If that had been Shion…
He shook his head, banishing those thoughts from his mind. She was perhaps the most well-protected person in this country. Anyone who tried to attack her would be suicidal. Both due to her guards and because of what he'd do to them in kind. He had to focus his mind on the here and now. Mizuno was handling the kids for the first half of the day, teaching them the bookwork of being a ninja, while the latter half of the day was spent doing physical conditioning. It gave him and Tenten time to work out their strategy when it came to dealing with this.
"I think the best place to start is by following the bodies," Tenten noted. "We'll see if they have similar wounds and if there's any connection between them. Something this big, it can't just be one person can it?"
Naruto hummed, shifting his foot as the ground squelched. "Maybe, but I don't think so. Whether or not this is some cult, however, I'm not sure. Could be a group of sickos who get off on this crap. In either case, we'll bust them up."
"Right."
The two ninja quickly made their way to the next village who reported a body. A small mining town nestled at the base of a large hill. This time, the victim had been a young girl from down south who went missing while gathering herbs in the forest. No relation to the previous one, but the same marking and wounds. Interestingly, the timeframe between the two kidnappings was only a day or so apart.
"It's not just one then," the blonde man surmised, rubbing his now-stubbly chin. "But kidnapping takes time, skill, and planning. No way they could just disappear people out of nowhere and not leave some clue behind."
"Unless they were also ninja," Tenten said.
It was a harrowing thought. A group of serial killers with ninja training was… well, a lot to handle with just the two of them. Especially when they were operating mostly in the dark. Shion had promised to get her own people to investigate and turn up clues, but if they were dealing with rogue ninja then Tenten and he would be the only people capable of dealing with it. But even the best of ninja were prone to getting cocky or slipping up.
"We should maybe check out the village where she was from. Maybe we can get some clues on what happened," Tenten said. Naruto agreed, and soon the two were off to the southern end of the Land of Demons.
Kuroyuri wasn't exactly a bustling town, but there was charm to it. The community seemed close knit, especially with the way they seem to regard the two ninja with distrust. The village was placed right alongside a small lake to the West and a large span of forest that circled the East and further South. For all intents and purposes, it looked like any other cozy town one would find in such an isolated part of the country. And yet, in spite of the rain having stopped, the dour mood the place radiated left no illusions about how they felt.
Naruto and Tenten walked through the town, aiming to get in contact with the girl's family and get an idea of what happened leading up to her disappearance. As they cut through a small marketplace, they heard some commotion behind them. Naruto turned just in time to avoid getting whacked by a wicker basket thrown by a small, buck-toothed boy. He wheezed as though he had just run a marathon, but stared at the two with utter disdain.
"Hey, what's the big idea you brat!" Naruto roared. "Why the hell are you chucking baskets at me!"
"You're the ones who took my big sis away! I know it!" he yelled, drawing attention from the various nearby patrons. "Give her back you bastards!"
"We didn't do anything. We're here to figure out what happened," Tenten said gently, trying to assuage the boy's anger. "If you just listen-"
"Shut up! You're mind games won't work on me! I'm going to beat you up, find your crummy boss, and take her back!"
Without a second thought the kid rushed them. Naruto didn't even bother to dodge as the boy collided with his hip and was knocked straight to the ground. It wasn't a hard fall or even that much of a tackle, but it splayed the kid out. He huffed and puffed and struggled to even stand, a ghostly pallor having taken hold of his face. The boy looked two seconds from passing out let alone beating them in a fight.
"Look, kid..." Naruto began awkwardly, unsure of what to say.
"I'm gonna… gonna…" the boy sucked in a breath, raised a fist, and charged. "Get you-!"
He was cut off as a fist crashed down on his head. The boy fell to the ground, dizzied and this time unable to get up. Naruto looked to see who intervened and saw an older boy with a very similar face staring down at the defeated kid. He stayed like that for a moment, before turning back to the two ninja.
"Apologies," his voice was a low tremor. "I hope he didn't cause you any trouble."
"None at all."
The kid coughed. "H-Hey, Mitsuri what the heck!? These guys took big sis and you hit me!?"
"They weren't the ones who kidnapped you idiot. These are ninja, probably sent here to help find her," Mitsuri spoke again. "How did you even expect to fight them?"
"I could've beaten them!"
The three shared a glance that perfectly communicated how out-of-touch this kid was. After a moment, Mitsuri sighed and rubbed a hand against his face. When he lowered it, he offered the two ninja an aggrieved smile.
"Again, sorry for Tanji. He's been like this since… since Aikawa vanished. My name is Mitsuri Iesada, and this is my younger brother."
"Naruto Uzumaki and Tenten, we've been sent by Lady Shion to find out what's been going on around here," Naruto introduced himself and his partner.
The boy's face lit up. "Y-You mean Lady Shion herself sent you to find our sister!? Please, allow me to invite you back to our house so we can talk more privately."
Before they could decline or reveal the tragic news of his sister's fate, Mitsuri grabbed both their hands and began dragging them away. Tanji, not wanting to be left behind, lurched after them in a panting half-jog. It wasn't long before they arrived at their house. It was a simple construction of wood, handmade no doubt, nestled next to a large clearing leading deeper into the woods. It wasn't much, but it had care worked into it as evidenced by the decorations and quality about the building.
Mitsuri rushed forward, stepping inside with a shout. "Mom, dad! There's ninja here to help us!"
Naruto heard rustling inside as the older boy stepped aside. From within the dim gloom of the house, a burly man stepped out, one hand clasped on a sword. A step behind him, a slim woman regarded them with careful eyes. After a moment, the man, their father no doubt, spoke.
"Have you come bearing news of our little Aika?" Despite the severity of his tone, Naruto could detect the tremor hidden in there. The small hope that she was okay.
He didn't know how to say it. How could he destroy their hope like that? Did he have it in him to look this father in his eyes and tell him that his daughter died horribly? Trapped with indecision, he froze up. Luckily, Tenten was swift to move in with a save.
"We'd like to speak to you in private regarding what happened. If that's okay."
The man relaxed a fraction. "Of course. Mitsuri, stay outside with your brother for a while."
"But-"
"Now!" the man turned and headed back inside. The older son gave the two ninja one last look before stepping down onto the grass and pulling his younger brother away.
Naruto and Tenten entered inside the small home, taking a seat next to a short table. The blonde ninja watched the two boys play outside for a moment, momentarily reminded of his own sons. He couldn't help but notice how Tanji seemed to stop every few seconds to catch his breath before continuing onward.
"You've no doubt met our youngest, Tanji," his mother spoke softly, a sad smile on her face. "Rambunctious, energetic. I hope he didn't give you any trouble."
"Besides the basket he threw at me, no."
The man sighed. "That boy…"
"Mitsuri already apologized for him," Tenten waved her hand. "He's fine."
"Tanji blames himself for what happened. He's always been sickly, but the herbs in this region provide a natural supplement for him. It allowed him to play with the other kids, make friends. His sister always fussed over him, and she took it upon herself to make sure we were always stocked up on some," the woman spoke softly. "She went missing while gathering said herbs, and Tanji blames his own weakness for it. Since then he's been pushing himself to get stronger, picking fights, accusing people of being the perpetrators."
"It's disgraceful! He's been causing all sorts of problems while the rest of us are-" the man cut off with a snarl. "We're all having trouble, but he needs to be more mature."
I understand, though. Nothing is worse than being the one left alive, unharmed, while someone else pays the price for you. Must be frustrating, Naruto lowered his head.
"We've come here because we know Aikawa was kidnapped from these woods. We're hoping that something will give us a clue to what happened."
"Did you find her?" the father asked suddenly, arms folded.
Naruto and Tenten glanced at each other. "That's not-"
His fist slammed down on the table, silencing their deflection before it could fully be spoken. The larger man glowered at them from across the table, one hand resting on his blade. Naruto could see where Tanji got his coping mechanisms from. Taking a deep breath, he broke the bad news to the parents.
"We found Aikawa's body approximately twenty miles North. It had been left in another town."
The woman cringed, then seemed to fold in on herself. She didn't cry, but the silence that came after was somehow worse. The father, for his part, clutched the hilt of the sword with such intensity that Naruto felt he was about to draw it on them. Eventually, though, he loosened his grip and merely gritted his teeth.
"Was it…" he trailed off, unable to get the words off.
"It was quick," Naruto lied wholeheartedly.
It at least seemed to offer some comfort to the two. They were silent for long minutes, nothing but the distant sounds of the two boys playing to break up the crushing atmosphere. When the man spoke, his voice trembled ever so slightly.
"We'll tell you everything we know, but it's not much."
The couple told them everything they knew about Aikawa's disappearance. As Naruto thought, there had been no indicator that this was coming. No strange people, no warning signs, just that their daughter didn't come back one day. It was completely out of nowhere. It made him wonder if this was premeditated or if the girl was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. If it was a random kidnapping that made things harder. If nothing tied them together except for circumstance it was going to be difficult to try and predict these mysterious foes. However, one thing did peak Naruto's interest. Tenten asked if anything about Aikawa would have made her a more desirable target, to which the mother mentioned.
"Nothing at all, save for maybe her blood."
"That. What about her blood," Naruto jumped on the clue instantly.
"H-Her blood, from what I understand, was the perfect donor type. She would sometimes donate it to be used in our clinic or in the hospitals elsewhere. I don't see how that's helpful."
"Aikawa was found completely drained of blood," Tenten said. "As were the other victims."
"What!? Do you mean those bastards killed my daughter over her blood!?" the man roared, standing up. "Why!? For money!? I'll gut them myself-!"
"I don't think that's the whole picture," Naruto stopped him before he could do something foolish. "If it were that simple, why kill her? If her blood was that valuable it makes more sense to keep her alive. Same with the others if they're similar."
"Naruto is right. It makes no sense to kill the source of your income if money is your goal."
"S-So they didn't want money? We never received a ransom note or anything."
Naruto shook his head, thinking. "All the victims had odd symbols traced on them. Almost religious. If they're not using their blood to sell, then it must be for something else."
"What, some kinda hocus pocus ritual?"
"Possible," Tenten said, surprising the two. "The Land of Demons was once known for its connection to spirits, both benign and evil. In that time, many such religious groups cropped up. Although a lot of that is ancient history at this point."
"We're not fully sure what we're dealing with yet, but that's why we're here. If we can find out if the blood is the correlating factor behind these kidnappings, maybe we can figure out who their next target is."
"And stop them," Tenten added.
It didn't bring them any peace, the loss of their daughter would no doubt be a void in their life forever, but it helped. The knowledge that the people behind this would pay could maybe give them some kind of closure. All of that rested in their hands, though. If they wanted to prevent anymore heartbreak, Naruto had to find these guys and bust them up. He and Tenten stood, saying their final goodbyes to the parents. As they stepped outside, Naruto paused as he saw the young figure sitting by the door. Tanji sat there, hands wrapped around his legs, quiet as a mouse.
Naruto sighed and knelt down. "Not nice to eavesdrop."
"She's dead then? Aika isn't coming back?" his voice was quiet, vulnerable.
"I'm sorry Tanji, but no."
The boy curled up more, but stopped as Naruto put a hand on his head. In a gentle voice, he spoke. "But I'm going to make sure they never do anything like this again. Even if it takes me my whole life, I won't let them get away with this."
The boy peeked out from behind bloodshot, swollen eyes. Naruto offered him a confident smile, and held his hand out for a fistbump.
"Believe it."
Cautiously, Tanji returned it. "Go get them."
Naruto stood and rejoined Tenten as she made her way across the grass. They had just one more place to check: the scene of the crime. With directions provided to them by the father, the two shinobi made their way into the forest. It wasn't long before they found the nestled grove of herbs Aikawa had once picked from. It was a beautiful place, with enough foliage to provide a barrier against the chilly wind that whipped through the region. Nothing seemed out of place, and there were no signs of a fight. Then again, it had been weeks since she was kidnapped. There was likely to be very few clues left behind.
The two scoured the area anyhow, hoping to turn up something. No blood stains, dried or otherwise, or equipment left behind. If there had been footprints, the passage of time had covered them up. Maybe if Kiba and Akamaru were here they could pick up a scent, but Naruto had no such abilities. He wandered about some more, idly picking a few of the herbs to see if Shion could grow some in her garden when Tenten called out.
"Naruto, over here!"
He was there in an instant, following to where she pointed. A large tree sat to one side of the clearing, gouges along either side of it. He took a closer look and saw that whatever had done this was serrated. The tears along the side were enough to give that away. However, Tenten had further insight.
"These wounds aren't made by kunai, the shape of the blades wouldn't make sense. Given their spacing and symmetry, my guess is chains. Do you see the indents along the bark here?" she pointed at much more shallower gouges that encircled the trunk. "Perhaps Aikawa was ambushed here and chained up?"
"No blood, they didn't want to wound her."
"Too important, maybe."
Naruto huffed. "Well, this is enough for now. We should return to Lady Shion and let her know what happened. Maybe if we can get some medical records we can find people with Aikawa's blood type."
She nodded, and soon the two were off again, headed back towards the capital city of Ashiya.
0-0-0-0
"Come on guys, three more laps. I'll make it five if I see people slacking!" Naruto yelled to his class as they puttered along the improvised track.
"Geez, he's such a slave driver," Wakita moaned, his shirt soaked with sweat.
Kaoru puttered behind them, wheezing. "M-Mr. Uzumaki- H-He wants us to be b-better. We just gotta- gotta keep at it."
"Are you okay back there1" Orino glanced back, the larger boy having the stamina of a pack beast. "You sound like you're about to puke."
"Puke if you have to, but keep running!" came the ill-timed repute from their sensei.
Kaoru doubled over and heaved, earning a shout of alarm from Wakita. Ahead of them Mitsugi and Noya seemed to have engaged in a race. The two of them kept pace with one another, looking for the precise moment to use a burst of speed to put themselves ahead. Naruto watched them carefully, taking down some notes as they ran. Once again, Kaoru and Momoi were pulling up the rear, but at least they weren't alone. He had worried that the disjointed class setup would lead to conflict, but thus far the only person not getting along was…
"Noya!" he shouted as she tried to cross in front of Mitsugi and trip him up. "This isn't a race, and Mitsugi isn't your enemy. Stop trying to mess with him!"
She snarled something he couldn't hear from where he was, probably about racing her in turn. The girl felt the need to measure every aspect of their training against whether or not he could do it. He had tried to point out that he had and could, given the fact he graduated but that didn't work so well on the bald girl. She was a hands-on learner by and far, and her test grades reflected that.
I guess everybody has something to work on, he thought to himself, shuffling through last night's homework.
It was almost ironic. On the field, Kaoru placed last and Noya first, but the opposite couldn't be more true in the classroom. The bespectacled boy was a genius perhaps on par with Shikamaru, but thankfully a little more motivated. If he could just get the physical conditioning down he'd be an excellent squad leader. Noya needed to work on her academics, and maybe even the fundamentals. He didn't want to pry into her past, but her handwriting contained basic grammar and spelling mistakes. The likes of which should be far beneath her.
He looked back up at the track to see her sprinting doubletime. Given her attitude, maybe she's never had a formal education.
It made sense. Some kids came to ninja academies on scholarships or sponsorships to get away from a life of poverty. Unfortunately, a ninja needed to be smart and strong to get by in this world. Anything less could spell disaster in the heat of the moment. Naruto knew that more than any of his students. He felt more than heard a presence come up from behind him, but didn't turn to confirm who it was.
"Lord Uzumaki," Captain Mizuno spoke in his gravelly voice. "Apologies for the interruption, sir, but I came to deliver the progress reports on the other groups."
He turned. "Thank you, Mizuno. And you don't have to call me 'Lord Uzumaki', Naruto is fine."
"As you say, sir."
Naruto nearly chuckled at the man's demeanor. Then again, he was a soldier. He accepted the packets from the older man and idly sifted through them. All of it was pretty par for the course, save for one or two outliers in Tenten's class. No major incidents either, which was a plus. Promising to himself to check these out more later, Naruto folded up the notes and tucked them into his jacket.
"Thank you for all your hard work, Captain. How goes your class, honestly?"
"It's an honor, sir. My class…" he turned towards the track. "Sometimes I worry that I'm not enough. I didn't rise this high in my career by being soft, but I'm no ninja. I don't my students to fall behind because I can't wield ninjutsu."
"Sh- Lady Shion mentioned you had good chakra control."
He nodded. "A requisite for the higher ranks, but most of what I can do is military techniques bolstered by said chakra control. It doesn't compare to some of the stories I've heard about you."
"I guess my fame precedes me," Naruto chuckled. "I have plans to do joint class exercises and drills so everyone can get a taste of each instructor. We've already promised to do school-wide ninjutsu training, however part of being a ninja is going it on your own."
"How do you mean, sir?"
"I mean… well, as a ninja most techniques are either learned, taught, or inherited. Learned techniques are ones a ninja goes out of their way to make or teach themselves. This applies to many basic to middle-rank jutsu, such as the Fire Style: Fireball jutsu. With the right connections, you can even buy scrolls to help teach yourself how to do it."
Mizuno nodded. "Taught would be the things we teach the kids in school."
"And the jutsu your sensei or an older ninja might teach you, yes. Finally, there are inherited techniques. Family jutsu and abilities passed down through the clan and bloodline. Some of these bloodline abilities are exceptionally rare, a mixture of two different chakra natures. These are called Kekkei Genkai."
"Kekkei… Genkai?" Mizuno cocked his head to the side. "Forgive me, sir, but I've never heard of it."
"I don't blame you, they're extraordinarily rare. However, I believe I have one of them in my class."
The man turned to him, startled. Naruto glanced down at the track and pointed to the brown haired girl who was helping Kaoru up again. He had seen her abilities during the capture-the-flag exercise. No handsigns, no warning, but she pulled off a technique he had only seen referenced in Jiraiya-sensei's manuals. It was either a clan ability or a Kekkei Genkai.
"Momoi Ado, she intrigues me. She can manipulate her hair without weaving handsigns or expending much chakra. It reminds me of the current Kazekage's technique," Naruto scratched his chin.
Gaara's sand reacted on instinct, as if it were its own person. It provided an almost impenetrable shield that Garra himself barely had to focus on. It gave him the ability to attack and defend simultaneously. Momoi, however, didn't seem to have the same control over it that he had. She had seemed surprised when it reacted, even scared. The way she seemed to always be expecting a rebuke or a harsh word concerned him. One more thing he would need to juggle with his students.
With a sigh, Naruto remembered something. "Captain Mizuno, when is your next free period?"
"Now, sir."
"Forgive me for asking, but do you mind running to the palace and asking Lady Shion something for me?"
"Not at all, sir," he saluted. "Just give me the word and I'll pass it on."
"I want to see if she can get someone to find people with this exact blood type," he transcribed the details to the man. "In regards to this whole missing person murders thing, we believe we've found our lead."
"A blood type, sir?"
"Very rare, according to what we've heard. A universal donor. I'm hoping to see if the other bodies share the same blood type, and, if they do, find out who in the country also has it."
"Because if we can pin down the possible victims," he began.
Naruto nodded, finishing the thought. "Then we can pin down the culprits."
The man saluted again and left with haste, disappearing over the hill. Naruto gave the word for his students to take a break, much to their relief. Over the horizon, beyond the walls of Ashiya, a storm brewed. Like an encroaching tidal wave it devoured the pure blue sky and replaced it with dark grey clouds. It felt ominous to him, like this was merely a harbinger for worse things to come. Naruto knew the dangers of forbidden jutsu, he had seen their effects. If ninja were the ones behind these murders, he didn't want to find out what their final goal was.
Something terrible was coming, he could feel it in his gut. He just hoped that he was enough to stop it.