After leaving the inn that he had been drugged at, Retsu was in no mood to party. He went straight back to the ship, and performed a quick application of the Body Cleanse jutsu. He then fell into a deep slumber.
The next day, Retsu was yoinked from his comfortable pillow, and thrown onto the deck. Two more identical thuds soon followed.
Opening his bleary eyes, Retsu could see that the sun hadn't risen yet.
"We have to beat the target before they pass us. It should be a three hour trip if we want to set up an ambush. Let's go." Iguru slapped everyone on the face for good measure, than jumped off the boat.
Retsu pinched the bridge of his nose, and let loose a long yawn.
"Nice kimono, you get it at the festival?" Mangetsu mocked.
Looking down in the dimly lit pre-dawn morning, Retsu could make out that his previously blood soaked kimono was now pink.
He seriously contemplated if he should just swap to a red outfit considering how much of a blood magnet he seemed to be. But then cast aside that thought as soon as it came. One day, he would get good enough that he could dodge that filth!
"Never mix the reds with the whites when doing the laundry." Retsu shared his sagely advice.
Zabuza snorted.
"Careful Retsu, you might make him blow a gasket."
"Him? Given all the attention lava girl lavishes on him, he's more likely to squirt blood out his nose."
"Hm, hm, very astute observation, Dr. Retsu. My prognosis suggests that Mr. Momichi is 100% whipped!"
"It's Momochi." Zabuza scowled, and hopped off the boat.
"Think he'll try to kill us in our sleep?" Retsu questioned.
"He's welcome to try." Mangetsu drew his swords, performed a quick flip, and slash, then sheathed them all in one clean motion.
"Alright, enough showing off, we should probably catch up to Captain before he comes back to beat us up. You know how emotional he gets when people don't listen to him."
"…"
"Mangetsu?"
"…"
"He's not standing behind us, is he? Psht, couldn't be! I know, let's leave right no-"
"When a superior gives an order, you follow it. NO EXCEPTIONS!" Iguru turned sideways, and launched Retsu far off into the ocean with a mighty kick.
"It was Retsu who delayed us!" Mangetsu was quick to push the blame on to someone else.
"Are you going to solidify yourself, and take this kick, or am I going to have to get handsy?" Iguru replied calmly.
"…"
"That's what I thought. Hiyah!"
After some shenanigans, and much groaning, Team Iguru set off.
It didn't take long for them to meet their first obstacle.
The sound of a loud crash, and creaking timber echoed throughout the forest.
"Trees. It just had to be trees." Retsu shook his head as he got up from the collapsed tree.
Next to Retsu, Mangetsu splattered into another tree, and reformed from water.
"Heh heh heh." Zabuza couldn't help but hold his belly, and laugh a disturbingly deep laugh for a child of 9 years old.
"Not so easy, is it? I remember entering my first forest…" Iguru began to monologue about his past.
Retsu shared a look with Mangetsu. Nodding in sync, the duo began to blitz through the forest.
Large booms, and loud splatters scared the birds, and other wild life. However, Retsu, and Mangetsu were uncaring toward their clumsy high speed tree leaping technique.
So what if they never travelled by tree before? They were learning by practice! Their current form and style was the result of arduous effort! They definitely were not doing everything in their power to escape the forbidden cut-scene no jutsu!
"Hey, I think I'm getting the hang of this!" Retsu would leap from tree to tree forcefully. Any tree, branch, or thicker limb that stood in his way was cut in half by his bone sword.
"It was never that difficult to begin with." Mangetsu turned his arms into water whips, and was slinging along like Spiderman.
"Huff, huff." Zabuza took deep breaths, and began to gasp as he tried to keep up with the two older boys.
"Alright, break! We're at the ambush sight!" Iguru called for them to slow down.
Just outside the woods was a small single street village. There were no more than twelve buildings, and a road ran right through them. The style of the village was like that of a halfway house. It was a location where travelers could water their animals, grab a bite, or stay the night.
Retsu figured that to a non-chakra empowered individual, it'd probably take half a day by foot to reach the trade town of Degarashi Port.
Mangetsu directed a side eyed look at Iguru.
Retsu had a question mark above his head, but then he understood. All that tree climbing bs was avoidable! There was a road the entire time!
Retsu squinted his eyes.
"Hey, you kids needed tree travel practice. When you fight in the Land of Fire, you'll thank me for this." Iguru crossed his arms, and stated nonchalantly.
"Okay. Now that we're here, what's the mission." Retsu decided to forget all the nonsense they went through, and move forward.
"I wanted to see your guys' skills in action, so I took on a C-rank mission. A noble girl is being escorted by ninja. They are travelling from the Land of Fire to Degarashi Port. She is due to come through here this morning. Your mission is simple, kill the girl, and retrieve her head as proof." Iguru gave a brief summary of their mission.
"Konoha shinobi. Do we have a description of the target, Sensei?" Mangetsu stroked his chin, and began to get serious.
"Good eye Mangetsu. Her distinctive feature is long pink hair in twin ponytails, and an overbearingly bratty personality."
"Any idea on the forces we're dealing with? Specifically, if they're from any clan or the other, or their ranks?" Retsu asked.
"No clue. Probably some Genin or Chunin, maybe a mix of both. Okay! Question time is over, I'll leave the ambush up to you!" Iguru cheerily clapped his hands, then disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
"Okay, here's the plan." Mangetsu began to detail his thoughts and ideas on how they should take care of business.
Travelling down the road was a nondescript horse drawn carriage. It chugged along through muddy puddles, and was covered in grime.
"Eww, bug boy, stay away from me!" A small, pink haired girl squirmed uncomfortably in her seat.
For his part, the Aburame man sat still, and was seemingly staring directly above the bubblegum color haired girl. His black glasses covered his eyes so thoroughly, only he knew what he was truly looking at.
"Oka is an accomplished shinobi from the Aburame clan, you are well protected in his capable hands. There is nothing to fear Lady Uyum." A pale eyed woman in her late teens held up her palms to placate the temperamental child. Her long brown hair was tied in a ponytail, giving off a heroic look.
"What a dumb mission! We all passed the Chunin Exams last month, and this is how we spend our time? You can keep that Hyuga etiquette, and shove it Myami! I'm going outside to get some fresh air. C'mon Harumo!" A feral looking teen spat on the floor of the carriage, and jumped out with his ninja dog companion.
"Hmph! Good riddance dog breath! Mnnn!" Uyum stuck her tongue out at the departing Inuzuka.
"Kojiro is likewise a very excellent shinobi. It would do well for you to learn to appreciate your guards, Lady Uyum. For should you ever make them dissatisfied, you might find yourself living on…borrowed time." Myami's already pale complexion turned a shade paler, and a creepy light played over her face. Her voice dropped several octaves, and the tiny interior of the carriage took on a chilly atmosphere.
"Fortunately, you have us. Isn't that wonderful, Lady Uyum?" Myami smiled, and tilted her head to the side.
"Y-yes. I am. V-very lucky to have, have loyal guards such as ourselves escorting me to father's estate." Uyum sniveled up driblets of snot, as she faced the Hyuga.
Oka raised an eyebrow at Myami due to her behavior.
Myami directed her smile-not-smile at the Aburame, and he was quick to turn away.
It was at this time that the carriage rolled into the single street village. The buildings were dark, and quiet.
"Oi, you guys might want to come out. There's a ton of skeletons laying out here, and some tied up people. It smells strange. We have a situation." Kojiro shouted from outside.
A second later, Harumo snarled in warning.
"Byakugan!" Myami activated her dojutsu, and scanned the village.
"There's survivors pinned down among the bones, and others are imprisoned in a nearby cellar. An explosive tag is rigged to the door. This is obviously a trap." Myami assessed the scene, and shared her thoughts with Oka.
"My friends say that the area around the village is clear. There are no forces nearby." Oka held a kikaichu on his finger tip.
"Which means the ambusher is amongst the victims." Myami finished Oka's train of thought.
"Guys, I know you're planning and using your brains or whatever, but it's mega creepy out here…Could you come out already!? Those skeletons and bound civilians give me the heebee jeebee's. I don't want to be out here all by myself." Kojiro took deep breaths. The more he smelt, the more off he felt about the situation.
"Arf!" Harumo rolled his eyes.
"Aww shucks, I'd never be scared with you around!" Kojiro rubbed his ninkens head to steady his nerves.
"Should we take the girl, ditch the carriage and go around? I've looked at the map, we can make it to Degarashi Port in one to two hours. Drop off the girl, and she's no longer our responsibility." Oka suggested his plan in a cold monotone. The idea of ditching the girl to possible death after their mission was complete didn't bother him one bit.
"Hey! I'm right here you know!" Oyum pouted.
"Yin Release: Good Sleep!" Myami performed several hand signs, and put the little girl to sleep.
"You know we have to take care of these ambushers. If they were to eliminate our charge as soon as we drop her off, the village will take a hit in credibility." Myami stared Oka in the eye.
After a long pause, Oka nodded in agreement.
"Good, you take the girl. Support with your little friends." Myami took the lead, and ordered Oka.
Oka nodded along, took Oyum and prepared to retreat.
However, it was at that moment that an explosion of water sliced the carriage in half.
Gripping the girl, Oka was forced to sacrifice dozens of kikaichu to block the attack.
Mangetsu jumped out of a puddle of water, and slashed his twin blades left and right. Each sword was aimed for the neck of a Leaf ninja.
Without wasting any time, Myami dodged the thrusting sword by moving forward. She replied to Mangetsu's attack with a thrust of her own. Her chakra tipped fingers snaked toward Mangetsu's tenketsu.
Recognizing the Hyuga as the threat she was, Mangetsu quickly retracted his other sword, and moved to intercept Myami.
"A Hozuki. My grandmother killed a Hozuki. Oka, leave this brat to me, support from the side, and secure the girl!" Myami shifted her body, knocking Mangetsu's swords to the side, and aimed for his vital points.
Performing a backflip, Mangetsu dodged Myami's deadly fingers. While he was midair, he shot out half a dozen water bullets from his fingers.
The Hyuga dashed into the water bullets, and deflected them with her palms.
Mangetsu's fox like smile was on full display.
Myami was about to walk on top of a massive water puddle!
"You're not very bright, are you? Water Release: Piercing Spike!" Mangetsu taunted before quickly casting his jutsu.
Myami's byakugan was strained to the limit. The sight of her veins going berserk combined with her placid smile set Mangetsu's spine tingling that something was wrong.
In Mangetsu's vision, Myami ran through the water spike like it was nothing.
Mangetsu's eyes widened in surprise. It was at that moment, he took multiple hits to his right shoulder, disabling his arm.
"I love that look. Dum dum's like you always think to themselves 'Oh, a Hyuga can't know genjutsu!' You probably thought all I did was put that girl to sleep, huh? Lights out little Hozuki!" Myami's smile widened as she closed in on her prey.
As soon as the carriage split in half, five skeletons began to shamble to their feet. They then all stared blankly at Kojiro and Harumo.
"On second thought…those bones are looking…kind of delicious!" Stars formed in Kojiro's eyes, and his mouth was filled with drool.
Transforming into a copy of Harumo, Kojiro lept at the skeletons.
"Fang over fang!" Kojiro and Harumo turned into literal spinning cyclones, and demolished two skeletons apiece during their charge.
The skeletons for their parts had sharpened claws, and scratched along the backside of the two ninja dogs. They drew long rivulets of blood across the beasts flank.
"So delicious!" "So good!" The two dogs cheered to one another as they each chewed on a femur.
The remaining skeleton charged the duo while they were distracted. Tag teeming the skeleton, they broke it into a shambling pile of bones.
"All to easy. Ah! I want to keep doing this but…we have to back up Oka, and Myami." Kojiro spat out his bone, and morphed back into his human self.
"Hrm." Harumo whined.
"Yeah, I don't want to either, but-HARUMO!" Kojiro shouted out with all his might. The bone that was in Harumo's mouth exploded in a million pieces.
The ninken's skull was filled with tiny holes like those made by a shotgun blast.
"I'll make you pay, you son of a bitch!" Kojiro's body warped, the blood dripping from his back sizzled into a scab, he grew claws, a snout, and he began to hunch over. Red, steaming hot chakra was pouring off his body in waves. Kojiro's appearance mirrored that of a werewolf.
Kojiro took a good whiff of the bone to see if he could catch any clues, and then immediately lunged at the bound civilians.
Man, woman or child, Kojiro tore anyone to shreds who held the scent of his hated enemy.
Playing hostage amongst the tied up civilians, Zabuza bided his time, and waited for an opportunity to strike.
Oka retreated into the forest, with Oyum tied to his back. He headed in a looping direction around the village. That way, he could move toward his objective, flank, and support his squad at the same time.
Receiving an urgent message from his little friends, Oka ducked just in time.
A series of bone bullets sailed right over Oka's head.
Taking out a kunai with a C-rank explosive tag, Oka returned fire.
The kunai made contact, and created the all to familiar 'tssk' sizzle of ignition, followed by a fireball, and sonic boom.
"Thank you, my family." Oka smiled, and directed happiness at his kikaichu.
"I see. Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Oka received information that the enemy ninja had survived the blast, and was barreling toward him at high speeds!
Just as the enemy shinobi was about to pierce Oka in the back, he turned around last second, and released a near pointblank fire jutsu.
"An Aburame who knows fire release? Now this is different from what I expected." The shinobi revealed himself to be Retsu.
Retsu had dark black scorch marks all over his body. His pink kimono suffered critical damage, and revealed a chest full of developing muscles. Underneath the destroyed clothes, small pieces of his chest and face cracked like porcelain. The cracks fell off his body in big chunks. Revealed underneath the chunks was undamaged flesh. Retsu had copied Gaara's sand armor technique, and replaced it with bone instead.
All it took was a couple of seconds, and new bone emerged from Retsu's body to replace the damaged sections.
Frowning, Oka sent a swarm of his kikaichu at Retsu.
"I don't have a bug zapper, but how's this for size?!" Ripping out his spine, Retsu began to mold his bones into a giant fly swatter.
Gripping the fly swatter with two hands, Retsu slaughtered the tiny insects in the hundreds. All the while, he was running full speed at Oka.
For his part, Oka remained calm and collected. While hundreds of his brethren died to this infidel, dozens had circled around, and would suck this heathen dry to the bone.
Retsu madly grinned as he felt the chakra leave his body. "Sorry Buggy, but only cuties can suck me off!" Miniscule pinpricks suddenly and repeatedly jutted upward and outward all over Retsu's body, before quickly retracting.
It wasn't much of an attack, and wasn't anything serious. If the tiny pricks hit someone full on, at most, they would suffer a small cut. However, to the kikaichu, they were super effective. Any kikaichu that didn't immediately die, suffered from the poison that was running throughout Retsu's bloodstream.
Wielding his giant flyswatter, Retsu grinned murder as he was about to slap the Aburame into paste.
At that moment, Oka tossed Oyuma right into Retsu's path, then fled.
Retsu was forced to slam his meaty weapon to the side to avoid pulverizing his target. He needed an intact head after all.
Myami had Mangetsu on the ropes. Sure, she had lost half her hair, and her pristine kimono had revealed her less than ample chest. However, her opponent was becoming sluggish. Where once his slashes were quick and focused, now they were slow and inaccurate.
She had mixed in several more genjutsu while they fought, and he had suffered for it. One more, and his defeat was certain.
Performing a quick series of hand signs in between jabs, Myami cast one of the basics, Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique.
She saw him screw up in fear, and knew the genjutsu had taken hold. With her byakugan, she could see her own chakra influence his. She was 100% certain he was within her grasp.
Thrusting her finger forward, she went to end this little play.
When all seemed hopeless for Mangetsu, he broke out of the genjutsu, and chopped his katana downward with his paralyzed hand.
Unprepared for the sudden turn of events, Myami lost her hand to the wickedly sharp chakra blade.
A fox like smile graced Mangetsu's lips. Shrugging his injured shoulder, Mangetsu gave Myami a wave with his restored hand, and then dashed at her.
Myami fell back in a panic. Byakugan activated, she searched for her teammates. When in doubt, she could always rely on them.
In that second of observation, Myami's face took on a frown. Their client was deceased, Oka was heading toward her, and Kojiro was being peppered by shuriken and kunai while going into a berserk rage.
Oka wordlessly ran up behind Myami, and gripped her shoulders. He then sent out his remaining insects to delay Mangetsu.
"Kojiro is wounded, and has gone mad. He lost Harumo." Myami popped a pill to recover chakra, then took another one to stymie her bleeding stump.
"Retreat is the best option." Oka suggested.
"Not without Kojiro." Myami pressed.
"…" Oka remained silent, then nodded.
When Retsu ran back to the village, he came across a puddle of water that was filled with twitching, drowning kikaichu.
"Took you long enough. You secure the goods?" The puddle formed into Mangetsu. The white haired boy smirked at Retsu.
"Yeah, I got it. But that was uh, some plan. I don't know if making those bone clones was worth the chakra expenditure. By the way, I didn't kill the Aburame. But I'm sure he's low on chakra and almost out of his insects."
"If they didn't have a Hyuga, it would've gone off without a hitch. I almost got her, but she was rescued by the Aburame because you couldn't pull out in time. No surprises that you finish early."
"Whatever, I have the girl's head. Let's go see if Zabuza is finished. If they 3v2 us, I think we could win. I'm running low, but I have enough to take them on."
"I admire your confidence. Probably the only redeeming trait of a Kaguya."
Retsu didn't bother to retort, and dashed off towards the action.
When they made it to Zabuza's location, they arrived just in time to see the Aburame and the Hyuga carry off the Inuzuka.
Zabuza had a long, bleeding gash form a crescent around his left eye. He was panting, and breathing heavily. Both his katana were broken, and dozens of shuriken littered the ground.
It was at that moment Iguru showed up.
"Nice work gang! We'll go over your fuck ups once we return to the ship! Oh, I can't wait! This reminds me of the time…"
Mangetsu, Retsu, and Zabuza all shared a look with one another. At that moment, they achieved the impossible. They skipped Iguru's forbidden cutscene no jutsu. Three loud thunks resounded in the quiet town as the three Mist shinobi purposely fell down unconscious.
"Ungrateful brats wouldn't know wisdom if it hit'em in the face!" Iguru grumbled to himself as he began to draw cartoon faces on his three unconscious subordinates.
AN: So I need ideas for a Chunin exam. It can be in any location with any parameters. The only thing it needs is 3 stages. It won't happen any time soon, but will eventually happen, and is something that could be fun for once with good ideas.
Also, 3 new rivals? The Inuzuka was totally poisoned by the bone clones, but if they fought it out, Team Iguru did have a chance of failure. Myami sans a hand is still dangerous, and the Aburame may've been low on kikaichu, but as he demonstrated, he had more than just his bugs. I'd like to think cases like this happen somewhat often. If the mission is a failure, just retreat. And if you don't need to corner and eliminate the enemy shinobi, chasing after them could be dangerous for a multitude of reasons, so, let them go.
I'm not going to explain Mangetsu's recovery in super detail. I'll just say his boast to Retsu in an earlier chapter about being good at chakra control was not an empty boast.