Well I was hoping for more hits from my last chapter, but I guess it was just too obscure. Only 6 hits and one alert. Bummer. Hopefully this chapter will bring in more people, so here's hoping.
Now, on with the story!
ANBU Operations
Mission #: 720676S:S&D
Two men ran as if the Shinigami was chasing after them.
In a sense he was.
The two jounin had been the back-up for the leader of Kumogakure as he attempted to kidnap Hyuuga Hinata in order to obtain the Byakugan. But the plan had gone to hell in a hand basket when their leader ran right into Hyuuga Hiashi.
The two Kumo-nin had arrived just in time to see their leader take a Jyuuken strike to the heart and they immediately took flight, trying to gain as much distance from Konoha as they could before the village was put on high alert.
Unfortunately for them, the head of the Hyuuga clan had seen them run off with his Byakugan and called for a branch member to report the incident to the Hokage.
The moment the branch member gave the sitrep to the 'Professor' he deployed the ANBU squadron currently on standby: ANBU squad 5.
Even among the black ops they were a mystery. Nobody could seem to figure them out, even the other ANBU squads. They were the only squad not assigned a Captain and many times were split up into two man teams for missions. Their outward appearances and how they acted also conflicted with the normal ANBU persona.
The one call signed Bear was actually the strategist of the team and was sharp minded, though his bulky physique led many to believe otherwise. He actually beat Nara Shikaku in a game of shogi once, but the Nara clan head only gave a muttered 'Troublesome' before walking away.
Hawk was the squad weapon specialist. His calm outward appearance when in front of anyone but his teammates gave off the impression that he was the team's unofficial leader, but he was actually quite the pyromaniac. Out of the three equipment pouches on his back, one entire pouch was devoted to exploding tags, flash bombs, smoke pellets and other explosives.
Tiger was odd because he was the only ANBU on the whole force to wear a mask with two colors on it, and rumor had it, among the black ops, that he had inherited some rare and valuable bloodline ability, but what it was only his squad mates (and the Hokage) actually knew. He seemed the most normal out of all of them, with average brown hair, medium build, and a calm and level-headed mind.
The last member's call sign was Fox. Many people, after the attack of the Kyuubi just over three years before, despised and shunned anything that reminded them of foxes, but Fox wore his mask with pride. He also had a larger physique, like Bear, but his look was also deceiving. He was the squad's assassin. He was awarded the "Sneakiest ANBU" award during a friendly competition to let off some steam. He snuck into the home of Inuzuka Tsume and gave her a full kiss on the lips as she slept, which he recorded with a camera normally used for reconnaissance missions, and the then left. He was never caught, even when Kuromaru tried to track down the scent left on Tsume.
They certainly were a talented and odd bunch, and they also seem to enjoy their jobs way too much.
Now the four man cell of ANBU Squad 5 were chasing after the pair of Kumo-nin with orders to capture them for interrogation, or kill them, before they crossed the border of the Land of Fire. So they decided to have as much fun as possible before their targets got within five kilometers of the border.
After a heated game of rock-paper-scissors the order of who got to have fun first was decided. Fox would have the first turn, Tiger the second, Bear third, and Hawk had the honor of finishing their targets off.
The Kumo-nin had stopped to take a slight breather by a river, one tossing a soldier pill to his partner, just in case. Then they heard a noise, in the direction that they had just come from.
Both turned to look and standing on one of the large trees, native to the Land of Fire, stood the four members of Squad 5.
They didn't move, as their prey disappeared into the forest again, until Tiger turned to Fox and simply said: "Have fun."
Fox then vanished in a burst of speed.
The two jounin ran faster though the trees then ever before, not even stopping for a sip of water as they downed their soldier pills. After five minutes of running they both hazarded a glance backwards.
Their eyes widened.
There was nobody behind them.
Hope began to bloom in their chests as they returned their gazes forward… and found a new addition to the pair.
The ANBU with the fox-like mask was flying right with them; running between them like it was nothing!
"Hi!" The Black Op said.
The Kumo-nin immediately jumped away once they reached the next branch and braced for a fight.
But the ANBU was gone.
Their eyes and senses frantically searched the area around them until one of the jounin yelled, "Keep going!" and then took off, followed by his teammate.
They ran for another few minutes before, just as they turned to look back again, a branch suddenly sprouted from a nearby tree and clotheslined the two fleeing ninja.
One falling jounin reached out to grab a branch as he passed, only for it to pull out of his reach.
Caught by surprise, the Kumo-nin landed on the ground with a hard 'Thump!', while his buddy was able to land on his feet. They spun around widely, trying to figure out what had just happened.
"Is this forest alive!?" One of the ninja yelled to his partner as trees and branches swayed and creaked around them.
"I don't know! Just keep running! The faster we're out of here the better! Especially with those Black Ops after us." He replied.
They began running again, but this time sticking to the ground to avoid being attacked by the braches above them again.
By then Bear and Hawk had come to the agreement that they would work together to finally take down their prey.
Bear created three Kage Bunshins and Henged them into his squadmates. He then caught up with the fleeing jounin, with his Bunshins, and started to herd the, by now, panicking Kumo-nin. They stayed close enough to be visible, but far away enough so as to disappear and reappear among the trees and bushes. The Bunshins on the edges would move up or back, depending on which way Bear wanted to herd them.
Then they finally reached Hawk, who'd gone off ahead, after ten minutes of chase.
The Kumo jounin could sense their pursuers fading back and one hazarded a glance back.
Sure enough the ANBU had stopped following them.
One jounin was relieved, while the other was apprehensive, as they continued to run, though slightly slower.
They only made it a few more meters before the apprehensive jounin spotted something on a nearby tree.
He skid to a stop, his partner doing like-wise, and he suddenly recognized what exactly what was stuck to the tree in front of them.
An exploding tag!
"Oh, fu-!" Was all the Jounin got out before no less then seven exploding tags vaporized them and everything within a 30 meter radius, and set an even larger area on fire.
Back in Konoha
"Did you just hear that explosion, Lord Hokage?" One of the ANBU with Sarutobi asked.
"Yes, but I sent Squad 5 to go hunt down the Kumo infiltrators that got away." The Sandaime Hokage replied.
"Oh." Was all that the ANBU said, before returning to his post.
Once the explosion settled, the members of Squad 5 doused the remaining flames with some simple Suiton and Doton jutsu, and then proceeded to look for any remains.
"Hey! Weren't we supposed to try and capture and interrogate them, before we blew them to kingdom come?" Hawk asked.
"Oh well, too late now." Hawk said, cheerfully.
"You're just happy you got to blow something up." Tiger said.
"But wasn't it awesome! I love the way Kekkai Hōjin (Barrier Encampment Method) concentrates all those fireballs into one big one!" Hawk said.
Bear just sighed before turning to Tiger and asking, "Can you replace some of the greenery lost here?"
Tiger just nodded and then clapped his hands together in the Hebi (Serpent) hand seal. Trees and bushes then started to sprout out from the ground, until, except for some charred ground and trees, the place looked good as new.
"Think I should use more tags next time, Fox?" Hawk asked.
Fox just gave an exasperated sigh before muttering, "Pyromaniac."
"And loving every minute of it!" Hawk retorted as ANBU Squadron Five took to the trees to return home.
A/N:
Anyone who does read this story, I politely ask you to leave a review, just so I know what people think of my first story. Even if it's all bad stuff, if you could please break it to me in a non-jerkish, constructive manner, I would greatly appreciate it and take your words into account as I work to further my writing skills. Thank you to anyone who gives the time to read this!
Rooster455 out!