DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO (WHAT ABOUT YOU? DO YOU OWN NARUTO?)
Ch.14 - An Impromptu Mission: The Runaway Carriage!
- On The Way To The Capital -
It was a sunny morning in Hi no Kuni (Land of Fire), and Team 10 was on their way to the capital to meet the Daimyo. Their mission was to deliver a message from the Hokage directly to the Daimyo.
"Why didn't Hokage-jiji just send his message through a courier?" Naruto asked.
"First off, why do you keep calling the Hokage 'old man'? And second, maybe this message is really important, and Hokage-sama didn't want to take any risks, which is why we're here," Ino offered.
"Ino is right, Naruto. Hokage-sama could've just sent this scroll via courier, but he thinks it'll be much safer and faster if he were to assign this task to some of us," Asuma stated.
"I see... And to answer your question, Ino, I have been calling him 'old man' for as long as I can remember," Naruto replied.
Naruto's answer didn't entirely satisfy Ino's question, but she decided to drop the subject. As they got closer to the capital, the frequency of passing houses increased.
"I've never been to the capital before. What about you guys?" Naruto asked.
"Neither have I. I haven't been to the capital either," Ino and Shino answered, respectively.
"What about you, Asuma-sensei? Have you been here before?" Naruto inquired.
"Oh yeah, plenty of times. I even used to live here back in the day," Asuma replied.
"Seriously!? You lived here before? What was it like, Asuma-sensei?" Naruto asked enthusiastically.
"It was alright, I guess. I used to love it here, but that was a long, long time ago. But now, there's no other place I'd call home other than Konoha," Asuma shared. His students were fascinated by this tidbit of information about him. He realized he hadn't shared much about himself with them but planned to do so in due time.
The team continued walking at a brisk pace, not wanting to keep the Daimyo waiting for too long. They passed an arched sign that welcomed them to the capital. "Welcome to Shikigahara" was written on the sign. Naruto and Ino were amazed at the size of the place and couldn't help but compare it to their own village.
Everywhere they looked, there were shops, and the number of people bustling about during the day was three times that of Konoha. They tried their best not to get swept away by the crowd as they followed Asuma, using the spiral on the back of his flak jacket as a means to track him and stay together. Once they were past the massive crowd, the journey became smoother.
"I still don't know why there's a Daimyo and a Hokage, though. I find it confusing," Naruto commented.
"Same... Though I think Hokage-sama reports to the Daimyo, if I'm not mistaken," Ino offered.
"I believe the Daimyo still has the final say in most things, and Hokage-sama is obliged to abide," Shino added.
"Are we right, Asuma-sensei? Or are we missing something?" Naruto asked.
"I may not be well-versed in politics, but I can shed some light on the matter. Both Ino and Shino are partially correct. You see, the Hokage, and all other Kage, have a Daimyo they report to. However, there exists a complex power struggle between the two positions. A Kage governs their village, having control over both the civilians and shinobi residing there. Despite their authority, Kage must still serve the Daimyo by providing services and protecting the country. On the other hand, the Daimyo commands numerous samurais and civilians but cannot interfere with the Kage's governance of the village. Both hold power, but it remains uncertain who wields more. Fortunately, at some point in the past, Kages and Daimyos reached a mutual agreement to assist each other. The Daimyo funds our village, and in return, we provide services and enhanced protection. So, it's a sort of win-win situation, I suppose," Asuma attempted to explain, though Naruto seemed more confused than before.
"I'm not sure if that made things clearer or just added to my confusion, Asuma-sensei..." Naruto admitted.
"Naruto, you're not the only one confused about politics. I don't even know why you aspire to be Hokage. If you think it's all about fighting, you'd be extremely disappointed," Asuma remarked.
Perplexed, Naruto asked, "What do you mean, Asuma-sensei?"
Asuma elaborated, "What I'm saying is that being Hokage involves dealing with politics and paperwork—a lot of it. Notice how every time we visit the Hokage's office, he's buried in paperwork."
Naruto, undeterred, exclaimed enthusiastically, "Then I'll use clones to do the work while I go out and kick ass!"
Asuma cautioned him, "Sure, you can use clones for some of the paperwork, maybe even most of it. But using clones to handle politics would be irresponsible. Besides, don't you think the Hokage has already considered that?"
Naruto fell silent, realizing the truth in Asuma's words. He vividly recalled the stacks of paperwork piled high on the Hokage's desk. It was a moment of realization for Naruto. Asuma, concerned, asked if he was alright.
Ino chimed in, teasingly saying, "I think you broke him, Asuma-sensei."
Asuma patted Naruto's shoulder, attempting to comfort him, but Naruto remained unresponsive. Asuma then turned to Shino and ordered him to place one of his bugs inside Naruto's jacket. Startled by the creepy sensation of something crawling, Naruto snapped back to reality.
"What the heck was that for?!" he exclaimed in frustration.
"You wouldn't respond, so I asked Shino to put a bug inside your jacket," Asuma replied.
"It seems like you had an epiphany about the truth of the Hokage's job," Shino added.
"I guess I just hadn't thought about it that way," Naruto responded.
"Don't worry about it right now. You have plenty of time to decide what you want to pursue in life. Your whole future lies ahead of you. If you still want to pursue being the Hokage in the future, we'll support you no matter what. And if not, we'll still be here to help you whenever you need it," Asuma offered.
His sensei's words were comforting and reassuring, helping Naruto recover from the truth bomb Asuma had dropped earlier. However, their conversation was interrupted when Asuma stopped in his tracks. They stood in front of a massive door guarded by two samurais.
- Inside the Castle -
Asuma approached the door to enter, but the samurais halted him. "Halt! State your name and purpose for visiting the Daimyo," one of the men said. Asuma let out a sigh and didn't bother to speak, instead showing the sash on his waist. The samurais recognized Asuma and opened the door, stepping aside to let them pass. "Come on, runts. This way," Asuma beckoned to his students.
Shino, Ino, and Naruto followed suit, stepping into the castle for the first time. Naruto behaved himself, knowing that goofing around would earn him an earful from Ino. Everywhere they looked, they saw opulence, luxury, and grandeur.
They entered a room where they saw a man dressed in a kimono made of the finest silk. The man noticed Asuma's arrival. "Asuma, my boy! It's wonderful to see you. Have you come back to join my ranks?" the man exclaimed.
Asuma chuckled and responded to the man's question, "Unfortunately, no. I haven't returned to rejoin the guardians. And yes, it has been a while, Hiroyuki-sama," he said.
"Oh, forget about that. I told you to call me Hiroyuki a long time ago," the man replied.
"I must've forgotten. Hiroyuki, these are my students. Kids, introduce yourselves," Asuma instructed.
"I am Yamanaka Ino. It's an honor to meet you in person, Nakazawa-sama," Ino greeted politely.
"I am Aburame Shino. Thank you for having us, Nakazawa-sama," Shino said with a nod.
"The name's Uzumaki Naruto, and I have to say, your castle is amazing, Nakazawa-sama," Naruto exclaimed confidently. Ino rolled her eyes at Naruto's antics, while the Daimyo chuckled.
The Daimyo found Naruto's boldness amusing, as he was the only one among them who remained true to himself while being tactful. "I see you've taken on students, Asuma. I'm sure they will become great shinobi. Anyway, what brings you to the capital, Asuma?" the Daimyo inquired.
"We're here to deliver a message from the Hokage. He specifically requested it be sent directly to you, as it's of utmost importance," Asuma explained.
"Is that all?" the Daimyo asked further.
"I believe so… The Hokage didn't instruct us to do anything else," Asuma replied.
"I see. Well, how have you been, Asuma? It's been so long since we last spoke, my boy!" the Daimyo said with a smile.
"I'm doing well, actually, Hiroyuki. Thank you for asking. And what about you?" Asuma returned the question.
"Oh, you know... Meetings here and meetings there, with a ton of paperwork to top it off. But despite all of that, I'm doing fine too," the Daimyo replied.
"I'm glad to hear that. What about your family, though?"
"Oh, them? They just left moments ago. You must have missed them. They're on their way to visit relatives and such. And what about you? How's your fa-" The Daimyo was abruptly cut off when the door suddenly slammed open, revealing one of his servants. "NAKAZAWA-SAMA! NAKAZAWA-SAMA!" the woman exclaimed.
"Kumiko-san?! What is the meaning of this? And what happened to you?" the Daimyo asked, sounding both confused and shocked.
Kumiko-san was covered in dirt and grime, with blood running from her head and nose. She panted heavily, but once she caught her breath, she finally shared the news with the Daimyo. "It's Lady Mitsuko and Lady Kaori! They've been kidnapped!" she reported.
The Daimyo's eyes widened upon hearing his advisor's words. "What?! How did this happen?" he asked in distress.
"Our carriage was intercepted by bandits. They killed the coachmen and guards accompanying us. Fortunately, I managed to escape. I ran as fast as I could to inform you, Nakazawa-sama," she explained.
Upon hearing this news, the Daimyo's legs momentarily turned to jelly, causing him to lose balance. Fortunately, Asuma was quick to catch him, preventing him from falling.
"I've got you, Hiroyuki. Please have a seat for a moment. Don't worry, my team and I will take care of it. We'll rescue them. Just wait here," Asuma reassured the Daimyo.
"Kumiko-san, where is the carriage heading?" he inquired.
"The carriage is headed to Kawa no Kuni (Land of Rivers)," she answered.
"Very well. Arrange for someone to take care of the Daimyo and get yourself treated as well. We'll leave now," Asuma instructed her, to which she nodded.
"Listen up, team. New mission. Our objective is to rescue the Daimyo's family. Any questions?" Asuma addressed his students.
None of his students had any questions, as they already understood their task. Team 10 swiftly departed and began their pursuit of the runaway carriage, ready to take down anyone standing in their way.
- Somewhere In The Forest -
"LET GO OF US, YOU SAVAGES!" the Daimyo's wife yelled in distress.
"PLEASE, DON'T HURT US!" Mitsuko pleaded.
"SHUT THE FUCK UP, BOTH OF YOU! I'M SICK OF YOUR SCREAMING IN MY EAR! IF YOU DON'T STOP FUCKING SCREAMING, I SWEAR TO KAMI I'LL FUCKING KILL BOTH OF YOU!" the man yelled, his anger silencing them out of fear.
He proceeded to bind their wrists, restricting their movement. To ensure further restraint, he also tied their legs and gagged them. "KOSUKE! ARE YOU DONE TYING THEM UP?!" another man called from outside the carriage. "YEAH YEAH, I'M DONE, SO SHUT YOUR TRAP, WILL YOU, SATORU?! MY EARS ARE ALREADY BLEEDING FROM THESE TWO BITCHES!" Kosuke exclaimed as he exited the moving carriage. He instructed one of his companions inside to keep an eye on the captives, who nodded in response.
"Now what?" Satoru asked.
"We'll take them to our hideout in Kawa no Kuni (Land of Rivers), for a couple of days. Then we'll send a ransom note to the Daimyo, demand payment, and make our escape with the money. After that, we're in for an early retirement, baby!" Kosuke cheerfully explained.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We haven't even completed the job yet," Satoru cautioned.
"Whatever... What's the worst that could happen? It's not like the Daimyo could send out a mission request that fast," Kosuke retorted.
But as soon as he finished speaking, shurikens embedded themselves near them, catching their attention. They turned to see Team 10 leaping from tree branch to tree branch.
"You and your big mouth, you just had to ask, didn't you?" Kosuke lamented.
"GUYS! WE HAVE COMPANY!" their third conspirator shouted.
"No shit, Gorou! We already noticed, dude. Well, don't just stand there! Fucking shoot them!" Satoru ordered.
Satoru then turned back to Kosuke and sought guidance. "What now?" he asked.
"Turn right! There's an old bridge over a huge chasm. We should be able to reach it. Once we cross the bridge, we cut the ropes, and we're as good as free," Kosuke instructed. Satoru followed his directions, steering the carriage onto the path to the right.
Meanwhile, Gorou continued shooting arrows at Team 10, but none of his shots found their mark. Not only was he an incompetent archer, but Team 10 easily dodged or deflected the projectiles. As time passed, Team 10 closed the distance, drawing near to the carriage.
Asuma and Naruto jumped from their tree branches and landed on the roof of the carriage. Gorou ceased shooting his bow and swung it at Naruto, who agilely evaded the attack. Naruto retaliated with a punch of his own, causing Gorou to lose his balance and fall off the carriage.
The other two bandits, who had been clinging to the sides, climbed up onto the roof to confront Asuma and Naruto. The limited space made it challenging for Asuma and Naruto to fight back. They couldn't utilize ninjutsu due to the cramped conditions. Naruto couldn't summon his clones due to the lack of space, and Asuma couldn't risk using his jutsus, as it could put them in further danger. Their only option was to rely on taijutsu and weapons.
Asuma infused chakra into his trench knives, assuming a defensive stance. One bandit swung his tanto at him, but Asuma easily blocked the attack with his weapons. He swiftly disarmed the man, delivering a rapid series of hooks and finishing with an uppercut that sent the bandit flying off the carriage.
Meanwhile, Naruto engaged in a struggle with another bandit. As the carriage hit a rocky patch, Naruto lost his balance and fell onto the roof. Seizing the opportunity, the bandit lunged forward, attempting to stab Naruto. Reacting swiftly, Naruto rolled onto his belly, narrowly avoiding the blade that pierced the roof.
Both Lady Mitsuko and Lady Kaori screamed in fear, but their distress was interrupted by a furious shout from inside the carriage. "STOP STABBING THE ROOF, YOU MORON! YOU MIGHT KILL OUR HOSTAGES!" the man yelled, clearly frustrated with his comrade's reckless actions. Realizing the danger, Naruto decided to change his approach. He quickly moved to the other end of the roof, pretending to lose his balance and falling onto his backside. The bandit, thinking he had the advantage, rushed towards Naruto and attempted to strike him once more. As his weapon embedded itself into the roof, the man's yell was abruptly cut off, coinciding with Naruto's evasive maneuver. Seizing the opportunity, Naruto used his enemy's own attack to eliminate the remaining bandit inside the carriage.
While Naruto remained on the roof, Kosuke, the bandit leader, prepared to swing his tanto at him. However, Ino intervened just in time, using her Kanashibari no Jutsu (Temporary Paralysis Technique) to temporarily paralyze Kosuke and prevent him from harming Naruto. Taking advantage of the opening, Naruto swiftly rose to his feet and landed a punch on Kosuke's face, eliciting a growl of pain. Before Kosuke could retaliate, the road took a sharp turn. "SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!", Satoru, the driver, said with a quivering voice as he steered the horses to the left to avoid catastrophe, but the carriage remained partially tilted. The sheer precipice before him instilled a paralyzing sense of dread, threatening to send him plummeting into the abyss below.
Lady Mitsuko and Lady Kaori screamed in terror, and Naruto, unable to maintain his balance, began sliding off the roof. Acting on instinct, he activated his Nebaiken Style and infused chakra into his palms, allowing him to stick to the roof and avoid certain death. However, Kosuke and Satoru were not as fortunate and were thrown off the carriage, plummeting over the ledge. Asuma calmly turned around, applying chakra to the soles of his feet, allowing him to cling to the roof and maintain his position.
"Asuma-sensei!" Naruto called out urgently.
"Don't worry, kid. I got this. Hang on!" Asuma reassured Naruto as he performed a wind jutsu. "Futon: Reppusho (Wind Release: Gale Palm)!" A powerful gust of wind erupted from Asuma's palms, stabilizing the carriage. He swiftly took control of the driver's seat to steer the vehicle.
Naruto let out a relieved sigh and wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead, thinking that the danger was finally over. However, his relief was short-lived as he noticed they were heading towards a massive chasm. While Kosuke's claim about a bridge was partly true, the bridge was now nothing more than remnants, having seen better days.
Asuma hit the brakes hard, causing the carriage to slow down, but the friction generated by the brakes caused smoke to emanate from the wheels.
"ASUMA-SENSEI! NARUTO!" Ino's voice called out from a distance.
The edge of the chasm was getting dangerously close, and despite the carriage slowing down, it still came to a stop precariously close to the ledge. The leftover momentum caused the wheels to move slightly, making the front of the carriage hang over the chasm.
"Okay, listen to me carefully, Naruto. We need to get off this carriage carefully and rescue Lady Mitsuko and Lady Kaori. Understood?" Asuma instructed, and Naruto nodded in agreement.
Both of them disembarked from the carriage cautiously, being careful not to tip it over the edge. "Lady Kaori, this is Asuma. Can you hear me?" he asked through the window. She nodded in response, but her voice was muffled due to the gag.
"Stay still while we set you free," Asuma commanded as he carefully broke the glass on both sides. He didn't want to risk the carriage moving and injuring them with broken shards of glass. Once he successfully opened the window and cleared the glass, he instructed both women to slowly make their way through the hole.
Escaping while being restrained proved challenging for Lady Mitsuko and Lady Kaori. Asuma contemplated entering the carriage to free them, but it was too risky. Instead, they managed to maneuver through the opening. However, as they did so, the carriage creaked and shook.
"Shino, use your bugs to push the carriage back," Asuma ordered his student, who promptly obliged.
"Hijutsu: Mushiheki (Hidden Insect Technique: Insect Wall)," Shino declared, causing a swarm of kikaichu beetles to emerge from his sleeves. They quickly assembled into a solid wall, preventing the carriage from falling off the ledge.
Since Lady Kaori was seated on the left side of the carriage, she had to exit through the left hole, while Lady Mikotsu went through the right. Asuma assisted Lady Kaori in safely exiting the carriage, leaving only Lady Mikotsu inside. Asuma repeated his instructions to Lady Mikotsu, but as she began to make her way through the hole, the ground started crumbling further. The ledge cracked, causing Lady Mikotsu to freeze up in fear. In a muffled voice, she expressed her hesitation, "I-I can't... I'm scared."
"Don't worry, Lady Mikotsu. We will get you out of there. We promise there is nothing to be afraid of," Asuma reassured her, providing comfort and encouragement. His words helped calm her, allowing her to move again. However, as she took her first step, the ledge gave way completely, causing the carriage to fall.
"MOTHER!" Lady Mikotsu cried out to Lady Kaori, and "MIKOTSU!" Lady Kaori called back to her daughter.
Reacting swiftly, Shino commanded his insects to lift the falling carriage, but their efforts proved insufficient. Naruto took immediate action, leaping after the carriage to prevent its descent. "Taju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu! (Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu)!" Naruto shouted, summoning 50 clones to form a chain, gripping onto the original Naruto's legs, while he grabbed onto the carriage's wheel.
With Naruto's successful intervention, he managed to hold onto the carriage's wheel. Asuma, utilizing his chakra control, stuck to the chasm's wall, reached the carriage, and swiftly entered it. He grabbed Lady Mikotsu, safely rescuing her, and leaped back to solid ground. They narrowly escaped before the wheel broke off, causing the entire carriage to plummet into the ravine. Naruto's clones pulled him back to safety, returning him to the ground, and Shino called back his bugs.
Once the rescue was complete, Team 10 escorted Lady Kaori and Lady Mikotsu back to the capital to reunite them with the relieved Daimyo. Overjoyed and in tears, the Daimyo expressed his gratitude for the safe return of his family. He insisted on rewarding the team with a generous sum of money, despite Asuma's protestations. The Daimyo insisted that their service was invaluable and that no amount of money could ever truly repay them.
(A/N: On second thought, I decided to release this chapter right now as a way to make up for the time I didn't upload so yeah, this means I can allow myself more time to write the other chapters haha. Nebaiken really coming in handy aye? HAHAHA it'll become more useful in future chapters so yea. Also, this will be on Naruto's track record and so far he made a rather good impression when he first met the Daimyo, hope it pays off soon right? Anyway that's all, thanks for the continued support and cheers! )