Chapter 4: The Clam-burglar

? POV

'Another boring escort mission completed by the deviously handsome super shinobi that is me.'

I bid farewell to the sailor who let me hitch a ride to the island and jumped off the ship onto the ocean. I started to slowly walk on the water toward the Hozuki clan compound and stroke my glorious goatee.

Sigh~

I haven't had an assassination request or a search and destroy mission in over a year! Ever since the Uchiha and the Senju have dwindled down the fighting its like the rest of the world is holding its breath. Like, I get that Madara and Hashirama are like the boogiemen of the shinobi world but does their literal every move have to dictate every damn thing. There hasn't been a real battle between their clans for like two years. Its like they're in a cold war or something. I hope something happens soon or I'm going to die of boredom before the next big battle! That bastard Mu must always be getting action because of the desert nomads, the mountain people, and the samurai. It isn't fair! Nothing has been going on in Water country for the last twenty years! I need some action soon or my awesome skills are going to get rusty. I have nothing to do here! I'm already the second strongest on the damn island behind that old rust bucket and I have already mastered all the Hozuki clan techniques. There's nothing for me to do!

'Maybe I can provoke that senile old coot into fighting me…. Nah he's too serious, he'd definitely kill me if he won so that's out.'

Sigh~

I walked onto the shore, the wet sand under my sandals squelching with every step. The beach was very peaceful at night. The sound of the waves crashing along the shore has always been soothing to me. I looked up to the sky even though I knew the famous mist would hide any stars shining down on me.

'Maybe I should think about getting myself a place on a beach far away from this blasted mist. Probably the Land of Noodles, they have amazing weather year-round.'

I had a big date tomorrow with my girlfriend and I needed my beauty sleep so I body flickered myself to the front of the compound. I owned the biggest home in the compound, but it was ironically completely empty right now. My parents were shinobi that were KIA in one of the numerous missions they took as pawns of the Shimizu. My mother died when I was 10 and my father followed her to the grave when I was 14. I was the only child of their arranged marriage. I asked my mother why I didn't have any siblings and she coldly told me that they couldn't be bothered with more children, that I was enough to be the clan head after my father finally died. Not something a normal mother would tell her five-year-old child but that was my mommy dearest. My father was even more brutal, but his training is a major part of why I am still alive. In a way, I guess my father did care about me in his own twisted way even if he's also the reason the thought of using a sword sickens me.

'Wait a minute…. What. Do. We. Have. Here?!'

I saw fresh footprints in the dirt leading to the back of the compound. I felt some excitement but mostly suspicion bubble up inside me. Who would be stupid enough to loiter around the Hozuki compound at this hour? My clan members have slain the impoverished villagers for far less than trespassing on our familial grounds so I doubt it would be a random vagrant who wandered up from the village. I jumped up to the top of my family's oh so "secure" wall and walked along it while following the footsteps to the back of the compound.

'Hmmm… Now I see three sets of little footprints. Two sets run away in different directions but the third obviously stayed since there is no sixth set.'

The neither of the others carried the third away either since the depth of the footprints stayed the same from when they arrived to when they fled the scene. So that meant one of them had never left. I quickly scanned the area for any clues to the whereabouts of the unaccounted-for trespasser and I found some dirt marks trailing up the wall.

'They must have used a chakra absorption seal to get passed the alarms. These are some resourceful little criminals.'

I decided to see if any of the trespassers were close by pulsing a subtle wave of my chakra out in a two-hundred-foot radius. I was not as proficient as natural sensor, but I could at least pick out an unfamiliar chakra signature from my clan members'.

'And bingo. It seems that the little mole is making its way back towards me. I am curious as to what its reasons were for risking its life like this. Maybe I'll ask before killing them if they can entertain me.'

Then I closed my eyes and leaned against the wall going completely still. The alarm seals don't sound for those with the Hozuki bloodline, a very big security flaw in my opinion. What if a half-Hozuki decides to infiltrate the compound? Five minutes passed and I start hearing rustling from the tree behind the wall.

'Ugh…what a disappointment this person's obviously not a well-trained shinobi!'

Suddenly an object came hurtling down from an area directly above my head and landed heavily on the ground about ten feet in front of me. Before I could look to see what had been thrown, a dark figure landed in front of it, blocking the object from my sight with its small frame. The figure took a second to gather itself before picking up the object and slinging it around shoulder to hang on its back.

'I know that sword! Hahaha! What are the odds? I see that dumbass didn't even bother taking the sword with him on his mission because he couldn't handle it. Now he's never going to get it back because after I take it, I'm selling it!"

The blue strip hilted katana was the very sword I had "precured" while on an escort mission in Iron Country. I had given it to my younger cousin for his birthday because as the head of the clan I was expected to help foster the talents of the clan's youth. The funny thing is that the youth of my clan has no talent to foster. They're all spoiled brats who're only interested in swinging swords around and not experiment with our clan's numerous techniques. Some of them could barely use the Hydrification technique, the staple skill of our clan's history!

'At least I'll get some money out of this. Welp, time to make myself known!'

I stood from my position on the wall and confronted the little thief,

"Hey kid! You mind telling me where you got that COOL looking sword? I feel like I've seen it before, but I just can't remember where!"

The child stiffened up and turned slightly to look at me. I got a decent look at the young ragged boy and to my surprise he looked to be one of the mountain tribe people from the north. I haven't seen one of them anywhere near Water Country in the last ten years. Was this one of their famous raids? The whites of the boy's eyes grew large as he fully took in my overwhelmingly handsome visage.

"Listen Ki-. Hey!"

I didn't even get to finish before the child started to run. And when I say run, I mean RUN. This boy had to be using chakra to be going that fast but its going take more than speed to lose me. I leapt from spot and hopped onto the wall to see for how far the boy had gotten. Then I crouched and jumped after him.

Shogo POV

'SHIT, SHIT, SHIT, SHIT! Did those bastards set me up?! Why was that ninja waiting for me?!'

My heart was pumping so hard it sounded like it was pounding against my eardrums. I ran with all my might towards the town. I don't think I had ever run as hard in my life, but I knew that ninja would eventually catch up. There was a cliff that I had to climb up while I was coming up the hill towards the compound earlier, the fall was gonna be steep and probably hurt my legs if I couldn't pull of a roll but FUCK IT! I didn't stop running as I slung the sword in front, so it was over my stomach horizontally and I jumped off the cliff making sure to tuck my legs into my chest. I took a deep breath and rolled forward hoping that I didn't end up cracking my head open like an egg. I caught a lucky break because right before I hit the gravel, I was able to roll with momentum onto my feet and slide down the hill. When I reached the bottom of the hill, I slung the sword back over my shoulder and continued running even though I felt the sting of my rash decision in my cut-up feet and back. I looked back to look for the ninja that was pursuing me only the not see anything. Not having the ninja in my sights brought chills to my spine.

'There's no way I outran him that fast! Where the fuck is he?!'

I made it into the town and the street was completely empty of anybody. I continued to look back hoping to catch a glimpse of the blonde ninja while running with the sword in my arms. Then I ran into something so hard, my brain rattled in my skull and my eyes went out of focus. I was so dizzy that I didn't even realize that I was now on the floor. I scrambled to my feet and looked at what I ran into and my blood ran cold.

'SHITTTTTT!'

"What no apology kid? What are they teaching the youth up there in those mountains of yours?"

I immediately turned around was about to start running my ass off again only to find myself being held up in the air by the back of my shirt.

"Listen brat, I've had a long day and I don't feel like chasing you around town all night. So just give u-,"

I wiggled myself free of my shirt and slipped out the bottom. I made sure to grab the sword as it fell then started running away from the ninja. I rounded a corner only to run face first into what felt like a wooden wall. I blinked open my eyes and my heart plummeted at the sight of the angry blonde ninja that I thought I had left behind standing over me with a grim look on his face.

? POV

I stood over the little thief and I'll be honest, I was more than a little pissed off at the gall of this brat. He keeps on running off while I'm talking! The nerve! Although I must admit I am impressed by the grit this kid has shown trying to escape from me. Grown men have frozen with fear and despair when faced with my intimidating aura. Also, the boy's chakra control is exceptional for a child his age to be able to supplement his speed that much without blowing up his legs. The little thief definitely has enough talent to become a passable shinobi in the future. Better get rid of him now.

"No where to go now bra- "

"HELP! Pedophile! Pedophile! HE'S GOT ME!"

I felt the blood rushing to my head, and I grabbed this damn brat by his thin neck then I body flickered to the top of a cliff that overlooked a massive whirlpool in the ocean. Never in my life had I been angrier than I was now, I was practically foaming at the mouth. I tried to toss the kid off the cliff, but he wrapped his body around my arm when I let his neck go. I waved my arm around trying to get him off, but he wouldn't let go.

"Get off me you fucking shitty brat!"

"No way I'm letting you kill me, ugly no eyebrow having freak!"

I couldn't even breath because I was so angry at this damn little eye sore's ridiculous insult. So what I didn't have any eyebrows! I was gorgeous without them! I shook my arm in earnest trying with all my might to shake this little parasite to his death. Then I calmed down and realized how stupid I was being.

Shogo POV

I was holding onto the ninja's arm tight as my life depended on it but suddenly his arm turned into liquid and I start to plummet towards the giant whirlpool below. I managed to grab a stray rock just below the cliff to bring my descent to a halt. I was dangling with one hand on the rock and the sword in the other. My situation was not looking to good as I couldn't support myself for long. I looked down towards the whirlpool and it was just a straight drop into it meaning I was dead if I let go.

"YOU MOUNTAIN SAVAGE BRAT! JUST DIE ALREADY!"

I looked up towards the cliff and saw that fucking glorified water balloon glaring down at me,

"KISS MY ASS, THERE ARE NO MOUNTAINS ON KITAJIMA!"

Then I yanked myself up with all my remaining strength and wacked that son of a bitch in the face with the sword. The rock I was hanging onto broke from the sudden motion and fell towards the treacherous waters below listening to the pain/rage filled screams of that blonde dick. Strangely enough as I was falling, I wasn't scared so I didn't scream in terror. But I did laugh my ass off because fuck that eyebrow less slug. Then I instinctively took a deep breath right before I hit the water.

'At least I get to die with this awesome sword thou- '

I woke with a start and felt the familiar feeling of being deep underwater. It was pitch black all around me so I couldn't tell how deep I actually was though. Amazingly, I still held onto the damn sword even while unconscious. I started to swim upwards but something slimy tightly wrapped itself around my torso and dragged me down further underwater. I tried to see what it was, but I couldn't even see my hand in front of my face. I tried hitting whatever was holding me with my fist and the bottom of the sword however it continued to drag me down. Then it stopped, I continued to try and free myself. I finally unsheathed the sword and started stabbing at whatever was holding me. Just as I was about to give up my fruitless struggle to free myself, I noticed a fucking GIGANTIC yellow eyeball blinking at me. The panic hit my body like a tidal wave, and I did what anybody would do in a situation like that. I took the damn sword in my hand and buried it hilt deep into the eyeball. The thing's reaction was instantaneous it released me and recoiled in what looked like pain. Not one to not take advantage of this golden opportunity, I started to swim like my fucking life depended on it forgetting the stupid sword entirely. The feeling of lightness was back but I felt like I was going much faster than when the shark was on my ass. Soon I was close to the surface, I could tell because I could see kind of see light from the moon.

'I'm almost home free! Thank you, Rabbit Goddes- '

*TWACK*

I woke to the sunlight and blinding pain throughout my whole body. I had to blink away the tears that came to my eyes. It took a couple of seconds for me to collect myself before I took notice of my surroundings and I was on a beach, but I had no idea which one. I could tell it was early in the morning because the sun was so low. I sat up and immediately regretted it as a sharp pain pierced through my chest. I toughed out the pain and forced myself to stand up, only to be greeted by more pain. My right arm was numb all the way to the fingers and my right was fucked too. I started limping south because I knew that the village was south of the island. After a while, I saw that I wasn't fair from the town thankfully. I had some how wound up on the west beach of Nakajima, but I wasn't complaining because I had survived what has been the craziest experience anyone has ever had. Blonde eyebrow less ninjas, dudes turning into fucking water and giant fucking sea monsters. Like who the fuck comes up with this bullshit! Whatever, I need to get to the fucking healer, I'm starting to see double. I reached into my pocket and my eyes damn near bulged out of my head.

'No fucking way!'

Around noon later that day…

I walked out of the healer's place looking like a walking band aid. A dislocated shoulder, fractured neck, micro fracture in my femur, sprained knee, sprained ankle, two broken ribs, one punctured lung and a concussion. My right arm was in a cast and so was my whole right leg. My entire torso was wrapped from my nipples down to my waist and I had a goddamn neck brace. It was incredibly hard to move even with the crutch the old healer gave me, but I had to make it work. The medical bill was fucking ginormous, but it mattered little to me now since I was fricking rich. I had no idea how all the money stayed in my pocket after all of last night's craziness, but I thank the Goddess that it did. Now I could skip town before the dick Tako came back and finally be free. I walked down the main road to the docks to planning to hire a boat to take me to the Land of Noodles. I could afford a nice boat too! Things are finally starting to look up for old Black Fish! Heh heh-

'OH C'MON!'

Standing right there with a brown-haired woman on his arm, and a bandage over his probably broken nose was the blonde fuck that threw me off a damn cliff. He caught sight of me as soon as I did him and the glare he gave me scared me shitless. I hobbled to turn myself around quickly and started to scramble away, the people around me looked at me funny but I couldn't give less of a fuck. I felt a hand grab my unbandaged shoulder and gently turn me around. I was met with the face of the woman who was accompanying that blond douche, she put her hand on my cheek

"Oh, you poor child! Who did this to you?!"

? POV

'SHIT!'

I was on a date with my girlfriend when I saw that fucking brat again! How the fuck is he still alive?! I threw him into a goddamn whirlpool! My girlfriend being the kind hearted soul she is saw me glaring in the direction of the child and assumed that I was just as concerned about the fucking brat's condition as she was so she walked us over to the hastily retreating annoying boy. I stood behind her while she talked to the boy making sure that she didn't see the expression I was making.

"Gengetsu!"

"Hmm! Oh, sorry I wasn't listening. Were u saying babe?"

"I was saying that we need to help this little guy get to the docks!"

"OH! Sure…sure we absolutely must do that! Right…. little guy?

I got up really close to the death-defying brat when I said the last thing so only he could see my menacing expression. The brat purposely jumped and headbutted me in the chin when I went to pick him up and I responded by squeezing his bad shoulder. We glared at each other and I mouthed a threat at him so my lady wouldn't see. With that I picked him up and held him out in front of me putting my arms below his shoulders and knees. Like that the three of us started to slowly walk towards the docks which was thankfully only a ten-minute walk away. I wanted to just body flicker there, but I didn't want to seem like I was rushing. Unfortunately, my girlfriend started to talk to the child,

"So little man what's your name? Mine's Tamari Shimizu."

The child started sweat when Tamari revealed her last name. I guess even riff raff like him are cognizant of the powerhouse that is the Shimizu clan.

"The name's Shogo Isobe."

"Wow that's a great name. Where do you come from Isobe-kun?"

"You sure ask a lot of questions Tamari. I'm from Kitajima."

"Sorry, if my questions bother you but humor my curiosity please, I am a kunoichi after all. I get paid to be a little…inquisitive. SO Kitajima it gets pretty cold over there this time of year doesn't it?"

"Sure does. Um hey thanks for the help guys but I think I can handle the rest of the distance myself."

'Finally, now get the fuck out of here you little devil spawn.'

I was about to happily put him down when I felt a hand gentle touch my shoulder,

"Alright guys cut the shit"

The tone in her voice made my blood run cold. I felt the kid seize up a little too from her sudden change in personality.

"I was hoping to make you guys squirm a little before I asked you but since Shogo here is so quick to cut bait on my cute little interrogation I'm just going come out and ask. How do you two know each other?"

She looked into each of our eyes as she asked her question, her emerald green eyes seemingly pierced through my very soul. Even the usually smart mouthed brat in my arms was at a lose for words. Suddenly I got an idea for an exit and I blurted it out,

"Ugh! You got us babe! This is my brand new apprentice, Shogo."