DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO (PLEASE DON'T SUE ME KISHIMOTO, WE'RE GOOD RIGHT?)
Ch.5 - Who/What Did This?
After setting up camp in a forest outside of Konoha, the group continued their journey towards Takeo's ranch. The presence of their client had slowed down their progress, but they pressed on nonetheless. Hours passed, and they found themselves nearing their destination. The sun's rays filtered through the thick foliage, creating a cooler atmosphere as they walked. The sound of chirping birds and rustling leaves filled the air.
"We're almost there. It should be just up ahead," Takeo informed the group. They continued walking until they reached a large clearing in the heart of the forest. Takeo's ranch stood secluded, surrounded by trees on all sides. True to his word, there were no fences to be seen, and cows dotted the landscape.
"Welcome to my humble ranch. Let me introduce you to my wife," Takeo said, leading them towards a modest cabin situated by a river.
"Honey, I'm home, and I brought some guests with us," Takeo announced.
"Welcome home, dear. Please, come inside. I'm almost done preparing lunch. I'm sure all of you must be hungry from your travels," a woman's voice replied.
"You bet we're hungry, dattebayo!" Naruto exclaimed, earning a reprimanding hit on the nape of his neck from Ino.
"OW! What was that for, Ino?" he protested, rubbing the back of his head.
"Where are your manners, Naruto? We're guests here, so show some respect," Ino scolded, rolling her eyes. Naruto fell silent, still nursing the slight pain.
"I want you all to meet my wife, Akemi," Takeo said, giving her a kiss and presenting her with the flowers he had bought.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Akemi-san. Thank you for having us here," Asuma greeted politely, while his students offered their greetings as well.
"Nice to meet you Akemi-san/Hello Akemi-san/Hi Akemi-san!" Shino, Ino, and Naruto greeted Akemi respectively
"Oh, the pleasure is mine. Please, come and have a seat. The food is almost ready," Akemi said warmly, gesturing for the group to sit at the dining table. She went back to the kitchen to finish preparing the meal, while Asuma and Takeo continued their conversation.
"You have a lovely place here, Kaneshiro-san," Asuma complimented.
"Thank you, Sarutobi-san. We take great pride in it, my wife and I. It started as a small ranch, but with hard work and determination, we managed to make it grow," Takeo explained.
"You weren't kidding about the lack of fences," Asuma remarked.
"Haha, yes. I'll be honest with you, Sarutobi-san. I didn't mention it in the job description, but I would appreciate your team's help in setting up the fences. I understand if it's not what you signed up for, but I'll make sure to compensate you for your efforts. Would you be willing to lend a helping hand?" Takeo asked earnestly.
Asuma understood Takeo's request and saw it as an opportunity for his students to work together and gain valuable experience. "We don't mind at all, Kaneshiro-san. When do we start?" he inquired.
"After lunch, I'll gather the materials for the fence. Let's say around 4 o'clock, so your students won't have to work under the scorching sun," Takeo suggested.
"Sounds good. We'll have that fence up and ready in no time," Asuma agreed, a hint of enthusiasm in his voice. Takeo smiled appreciatively.
Just then, Akemi returned with a variety of delicious dishes she had prepared, knowing that they would have guests. She had gone the extra mile to create a feast for everyone. The group eagerly dug into the food, enjoying both the meal and the lively conversation that ensued.
- Outside Takeo-san's Storage Shed -
"Listen up, everyone. I know this wasn't part of the original mission, but I believe it's the right thing to do for a few reasons. First, helping Kaneshiro-san with the fence will allow us to complete this mission more quickly. I know some of you are eager to head back home. Second, we will be compensated for our additional efforts, so there's extra pay involved if that interests you. And finally, this can serve as a valuable team exercise for all three of you. Is that clear?" Asuma addressed his students, seeking their agreement.
They nodded in understanding, acknowledging Asuma's reasoning.
"Good. Let's wait for Kaneshiro-san to bring the necessary materials for the fence," Asuma stated.
Curiosity sparked within Naruto, prompting him to ask, "Um... Asuma-sensei, are we allowed to use jutsus?"
Asuma considered for a moment before responding, "I don't see any harm in it. However, if your jutsus end up causing more trouble than help, then no more jutsus. Am I clear?"
Without hesitation, Naruto accepted the terms and conditions set by his sensei.
After some time, Takeo returned with a toolbox and opened the storage shed to reveal fence posts, wooden planks, and a bucket of nails.
"We've got everything we need to build this fence. I'm confident we can finish at least a quarter of it this afternoon. Let's start behind the cabin. Your task is to attach the planks to the fence posts that I'll be putting into the ground," Takeo explained to the group, who understood their role.
Asuma made a suggestion, saying, "Takeo, why don't you show them how to dig holes for the fence posts? It'll help us get started."
Following Asuma's advice, Takeo took a shovel and demonstrated the proper technique.
The group proceeded with their assigned tasks, creating a rhythm of digging holes, placing fence posts, and nailing wooden planks. There were occasional mishaps, with Naruto's clones accidentally hammering their thumbs and dispersing, but they persisted. The job took around three hours, and by 7 o'clock, they had completed a quarter of the fence.
"Great job, everyone. You can go wash up and wait for Akemi to call you all for dinner," Takeo praised with a smile. But before they left, Asuma had something to say.
"After dinner, I'll take the first watch. You three can decide amongst yourselves who will take the second watch. You might as well figure out the first and second watches for tomorrow too," Asuma instructed before leaving his students to make their decision.
Ino took the lead and asked, "Alright, how do you guys want to settle this?"
Shino replied, "I'm open to any suggestions."
Naruto, ever enthusiastic, chimed in, "I've got the perfect idea, Ino! We'll settle this with a game of Janken! (Rock-Paper-Scissors) Dattebayo!"
Ino gave Naruto a deadpan stare, expecting a more concrete plan or a strategic suggestion like the one they used to land a hit on Asuma earlier.
"Janken, really?" Ino sighed.
Naruto raised an eyebrow and challenged, "What? You got a better idea?"
Realizing she didn't have a better suggestion, Ino sighed again and reluctantly agreed. Naruto grinned, asking if his teammates were ready.
"You guys ready?" he asked, and they nodded in response.
"JAN KEN PON!" they all shouted in unison, starting the game.
Shino - Guu (Rock)
Ino - Guu (Rock)
Naruto - Guu (Rock)
"Crap! I should've gone 'Pah' (Paper)!" Naruto exclaimed in frustration, realizing his choice of 'Guu' (Rock) didn't work. Ino let out a sigh of relief that she didn't lose right away, while Shino remained his usual composed and silent self.
"JAN KEN PON!" they chanted once again in unison, determined to settle the watch schedule through this game.
Shino - Pah (Paper)
Ino - Choki (Scissors)
Naruto - Choki (Scissors)
"I will take the second watch tonight since I have lost," Shino declared.
"No worries, Shino. You'll get a break tomorrow. So, Ino, are you ready to lose?" Naruto teased.
"Please, Naruto, I'm not going to lose to you. I'm definitely going to win this," Ino confidently responded.
"JAN KEN PON!" Ino and Naruto exclaimed simultaneously, raising their hands to reveal their chosen signs.
Ino - Choki (Scissors)
Naruto - Choki (Scissors)
"JAN KEN PON!"
Ino - Pah (Paper)
Naruto - Pah (Paper)
"JAN KEN PON!"
Ino - Guu (Rock)
Naruto - Guu (Rock)
"Dammit, Naruto! Stop copying me and just lose already!" Ino yelled, frustrated.
"I'm not copying you! If anything, you're the one copying me! Remember, you have mind-related jutsus! So maybe you're the one cheating," Naruto argued back, defending himself.
"Nu-uh!"
"Ya-huh!"
"Na-uh!"
"Ya-huh!"
"Okay, enough! Let's just settle this once and for all," Ino said, determined to break the never-ending cycle of bickering between them. And for the very last time, they played rock-paper-scissors.
"JAN KEN PON!" Ino and Naruto said simultaneously, eager to determine the winner and bring an end to their argument.
Ino - Guu (Rock)
Naruto - Choki (Scissors)
"DAMNIT! I LOST..." Naruto exclaimed in frustration.
"Ha! I beat you, Naruto. Looks like you'll be on first watch tomorrow," Ino taunted, sticking out her tongue.
"Yeah, yeah... You win. I honestly thought I had you there. I was going to psyche you into choosing 'Pah' (Paper)," Naruto explained.
"Well, better luck next time, Naruto," Ino said, sighing in a playful manner.
"Kids! Dinner's ready in 10 minutes!" Akemi called out loudly from inside the cabin.
Hearing this, they knew it was time to go back inside, wash up, and prepare for dinner.
- The Next Day -
"For the last time! The plank isn't straight, Naruto!" Ino yelled in frustration.
"Oh, come on! How am I supposed to know it's not straight? I can't see the entire plank from here, and it's not like I'm not trying..." Naruto argued, feeling exasperated.
"Just... Raise the left side of the plank a tiny bit," Ino instructed, her patience wearing thin. Naruto followed her instructions.
"No! The other left! No! My left!" Ino exclaimed, growing more frustrated.
"You weren't specific! This would be much easier if I had my clones," Naruto replied.
"Oh yeah? Well, your clones just caused a mess earlier by scaring off some of Kaneshiro-san's cows. Luckily, Asuma-sensei was able to wrangle them in time, and you agreed to his conditions that if and when our jutsus cause more trouble than help, no more jutsus. So just do what I said," Ino groaned, recalling the incident.
Naruto let out a sigh and adjusted the plank as Ino directed. But this time, he raised it a bit too much. "ARGHHH! YOU RAISED IT TOO MUCH!" Ino yelled in frustration.
"You know what?! Let's swap. I'll do the nailing and hammering, and you hold the plank. It seems you can do a much better job than I can," Naruto protested, annoyed. Ino didn't hesitate to switch places with Naruto.
"Is the plank straight now?" he asked.
"Yeah, yeah... Just nail the damn thing down. This is heavy," Ino groaned, feeling fatigued.
"Be patient, jeez! I'll show you how a real pro nails down wooden planks," Naruto said confidently, preparing to hammer down the nail. He wanted to prove to Ino that he was skilled at this task by hammering the nail down in one hit. But instead of hitting the head of the nail, he missed and struck his thumb. "AHHHHH! SCREW THIS PLANK AND HAMMER!" Naruto yelled in pain, causing more bickering between them.
Asuma and Takeo continued their tasks in the distance while overhearing the ongoing argument between Naruto and Ino. Takeo turned to Asuma and asked, "Are you sure they're going to be alright, Sarutobi-san?"
Asuma chuckled and replied, "Oh, them? Yeah, they'll be fine. It's just their usual banter. They're always like this."
Takeo nodded, relieved by Asuma's assurance. "We've made great progress with the fences. We've completed about three-fourths of the job. I can't express enough gratitude for your team's help."
Asuma waved off the thanks. "No worries, Kaneshiro-san. It's all part of the job."
Team 10, along with Asuma, had been working tirelessly since 7 o'clock in the morning. By noon, they had accomplished a significant portion of the fencing task.
"I think it's a good stopping point for now. Your students deserve a break and a chance to freshen up before we gather for lunch in the cabin," Takeo suggested. "I'll take care of some other tasks. If you need anything, I'll be at the barn, or you can ask my wife for assistance."
Asuma nodded gratefully as Takeo headed towards the barn, leaving Asuma alone with his thoughts. He contemplated the nearly finished fence and realized it was time to shift their focus to investigating the missing cows.
"Now that the fence is almost complete, we can finally start our investigation into the missing cows," Asuma thought to himself. Determined to address the matter, he called out to his team.
"Oi! Shino, Ino, Naruto! Gather around for a team meeting," Asuma called, his voice echoing through the area.
His students soon approached, curious about the sudden meeting. "You called for us, Asuma-sensei?" Ino asked.
"Since we're about 75% done with the fence, it's time to address the missing cows situation. I'll talk to Kaneshiro-san later to see if we can scout the area and gather information. We'll form two-man teams: Shino, you'll come with me. Your sensory abilities will be valuable. Ino and Naruto, you two will partner up. Ino, keep an eye on Naruto for me," Asuma explained, to which Ino nodded in agreement.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto protested.
"It's nothing, Naruto. Just a precaution. Now, any questions?" Asuma asked.
Naruto raised his hand. "If we find something unusual, what should we do?"
"Good question. Create a clone and send it to me with any information you've gathered. As for the original Naruto, stay with Ino in the area where you found the clue. If there are no further questions, go freshen up because lunchtime is approaching," Asuma instructed.
With the plan set, the team dispersed to wash up and prepare for lunch, eager to continue their mission and uncover the mystery surrounding the missing cows.
- After Working On The Fence: 4:30 PM -
"Found anything yet?" Ino asked, hopeful for a breakthrough.
"Nope... What about you?" Naruto replied, equally disappointed.
"Nothing as well. *sigh* I'm starting to think it's a predator that's been taking the cows. What do you think, Naruto?" Ino pondered.
"Hmmm... Maybe, but let's keep looking. It's hard to tell what's been causing the cows to disappear," Naruto responded, determined to find answers.
As they continued their search, a foul odor permeated the air, catching Ino's attention. "Ughhh... What in Kami's name is that smell? It smells awful! Naruto, did you step on poop?"
Naruto defended himself, "If I did, you would've smelled it constantly."
"Well, whatever that smell is... it's terrible," Ino remarked, wrinkling her nose in disgust.
Naruto seized the opportunity to tease Ino, "Since you can smell something, maybe you can put that nose to use. I've heard that pigs have a great sense of smell. Maybe that's why Sakura-chan calls you Ino-pig."
Ino retorted sarcastically, "Ha ha, very funny, Naruto." They chuckled briefly before refocusing on their investigation. However, as Naruto walked, he suddenly tripped on an object, causing him to curse in pain.
"Ahhh, DAMNIT! What the heck did I trip on?" Naruto exclaimed, rubbing his knee. He then noticed something on the ground that caught his attention.
"Uhhh... Ino, you might want to check this out," Naruto called out, his voice filled with a mix of surprise and concern.
"What is it? Did you find something?" Ino hurried over to where Naruto was.
"If that's what I think it is... then yes," Naruto replied, his eyes fixed on the discovery.
Ino's shock mirrored Naruto's as they stood before the mangled corpse of a cow. It was torn apart beyond recognition, its body reduced to a horrifying sight. One of its legs protruded from a large bush, concealing most of the remains. Inside the bush, the innards and guts of the poor creature were strewn about. It was clear that something sinister was at play.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Naruto swiftly created a clone of himself and instructed it to fetch Asuma. They needed their sensei's expertise and guidance to handle this distressing discovery.
- Moments Later -
"Hmmm... This is rather peculiar. Why would bandits want to kill something they aimed to steal? Isn't it much better for them to take as many cows as they can?" Shino voiced his thoughts.
Before regrouping with Naruto and Ino, Shino and Asuma had come across a nearby campsite. The presence of a used campfire and scattered litter indicated that someone had been there.
Asuma examined the corpse more closely and noticed that its leg was broken. "They must have left this one behind to avoid slowing down their escape. With a broken leg, the cow would be unable to keep up, making it an easy target for predators," Asuma analyzed in his mind.
"It could have been both," Asuma interjected.
"What do you mean by both, Asuma-sensei?" Ino inquired.
"Look at its leg, or what used to be its leg. Notice anything odd?" Asuma pointed out.
"It's broken," Ino observed.
"Exactly. To the bandits, a broken leg would slow them down and increase the risk of being caught. So, they made the logical decision to leave it behind. In the wild, a lone and injured prey becomes an easy target for predators, resulting in a mangled corpse like this," Asuma explained.
Naruto chimed in, "So, I guess we should be more concerned about the bandits than the predators, especially since we're almost finished building the fence, right?"
"You're absolutely right, kid," Asuma acknowledged with a nod. He was impressed by Naruto's reasoning. "Since you'll be on guard duty tonight, I suggest you create clones and scatter them throughout the ranch. We'll also discuss with Kaneshiro-san if he's willing to use some cows as bait, placing them strategically but not too far from the ranch. Let's see if the bandits take the bait."
Naruto nodded eagerly, fully on board with the plan. Asuma recognized Naruto's enthusiasm and thought to himself, "Good thinking, Naruto." They were determined to catch the bandits and protect the remaining cows from harm.
- The 2nd Floor Of Takeo's Barn: 9:30 PM -
Naruto stood in his chosen spot, a wide expanse of open space that offered him a commanding view. The scent of manure wafted through the air, mingling with the crisp night breeze. Ino, always quick with her teasing, couldn't resist making a comment about the less-than-pleasant odor.
"Nice spot you got here, Naruto," Ino playfully jested. "Open space and it also smells like crap here. Good choice."
Naruto couldn't help but roll his eyes, accustomed to Ino's banter. He explained, "Ha ha, very funny Ino. Asuma-sensei told me to stand guard here. He said it's a good vantage point, allowing me to keep a clear eye on the cows just outside. So laugh all you want now, but later , it'll be your turn here."
Ino continued her teasing, adding, "Well, by then, all the bad odor will stick to you."
Naruto playfully stuck out his tongue in response. "Relax, I'm just kidding. Anyway, I'm going to retire for the night, Naruto. Just wake me up when it's my turn. Goodnight," Ino said, heading down to the first floor of the barn, leaving Naruto alone with the cows and their abundant piles of manure.
"Alright then, goodnight Ino," he replied, watching as she nodded and disappeared from sight. Naruto settled in, his senses now attuned to the sounds of the night and the earthy scent that permeated the air. The task at hand may not have been glamorous, but he understood the importance of his duty, even in the midst of a less-than-ideal location.
- Near The Ranch (Unknown Location): 1:45 PM -
The moon cast its pale glow over the ranch, and in the darkness, two figures huddled together, discussing their precarious situation. The elder brother scanned their surroundings, sensing the owner's heightened awareness.
"Looks like the owner is onto us, brother," he whispered, his voice filled with a mix of annoyance and concern.
His younger sibling nodded, glancing at the new fence that encircled the ranch. "Yeah, no shit. I can definitely see the new fence. They're stepping up security."
A momentary silence hung in the air as they contemplated their next move. "What do we do then?" the younger brother asked, his voice laced with urgency.
The elder brother's gaze hardened, determination shining in his eyes. "Same thing we always do," he replied with a steely resolve. "We take the cows silently. But this will probably be the last time we can steal from this ranch without any issues."
A brief pause followed, broken only by the rustling of leaves in the breeze. "Should we wait for our elder brother?" the younger one inquired, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
The elder brother let out a sigh, his frustration evident. "Obviously. You know how that motherfucker is," he said, bitterness seeping into his words. "Always a stick in the mud and a stickler to his rules. He can be such a dick sometimes, ya know?"
His younger brother's eyes widened in caution. "Shhhh... What if he hears you?" he whispered, casting a wary glance around them.
"Ahh... Fuck him," the elder brother spat, dismissing the concern. "I don't care 'bout that bastard. All I want is to make money. Now, shut your yap and go get him," he commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.
The younger brother nodded, acknowledging his orders, and silently slipped away into the night, their risky venture hanging in the balance. The elder brother remained, his thoughts consumed by the impending risks they faced, while the moonlit ranch whispered tales of uncertainty and desperation.
(A/N: Chapter 5 is done whooo! Looks like trouble is coming haha, I hope you guys are still enjoying the story so far. I am really enjoying writing this fanfic haha, It's quite nice, and also thank you so much for the 5 reviews I got, it's nice to know that people out there enjoy my work. So shoutout to atengawchok and bhanupratap88037 for your responses. They are highly appreciated, also thanks for correcting me on the chapter when I wrote the team placements. Apparently, I wrote Dhouji's name twice haha whoops. Anyway that is all, thanks for stopping by and cheers^^)