Land of Iron
Karin couldn't stop shivering despite the nearby fire as she tried to brush the snowflakes out of her red hair. It never snowed in Kusa, the grassy plains of her so-called 'home' had a rather temperate climate. Having rarely left the borders of the small country, she was rather unprepared for the cold mountains of the Land of Iron.
However the weather was nothing compared to her frosty traveling companions. Their samurai escorts hadn't said a thing to her since they left Kusa. Covered head to toe in armor she wouldn't have known they were even human if she couldn't sense their chakra, which felt sharp and alert. The samurai were certainly decent bodyguards, though they seemed unnecessary at this point.
No one was going to attack them right outside the Land of Iron's capital and it wasn't like she could exactly run away at this point. Even with her sensory abilities she wouldn't make it two klicks before her 'mentor' caught up to her.
Speaking of the asshole, he was still in his tent going over some strategy with Muku. They did that pretty much everyday and basically arrived at the same conclusion every time. The two of them would avoid the cornucopia and stick to the outer areas of the arena, use Karin's sensory abilities to avoid the other Candidates till the end and if Muku ever got injured she'd heal him by letting him bite her. If all went to plan, a fresh rested Muku would be able to fight the tired, battle weary jinchuriki and win the games. Not for the first time she cursed Suna's jinchuriki, without his entrance into the games she probably wouldn't be in his mess.
Of course this plan, originally cooked up by the village elders, assumed she would die. They didn't care about her, she was an outsider, barely tolerated for her clan's unique abilities, and completely expendable.
"The gawkers are back."
Karin nearly jumped at the sound of Muku's voice, she must have been really distracted by her own thoughts to have not sensed the pale, pony tailed brunette boy sneaking up on her.
"Sorry what was that," she responded, adjusting her glasses as a guise of hiding her embarrassed blush.
Muku smirked, raising his hand upwards he pointed towards a small group of people at the camp's perimeter, held back by a pair of samurai, dressed in fine and most certainly expensive robes.
"Oh...uh I guess they are."
Karin must have been more distracted than she thought to have not noticed the group of...she wanted to say merchants? In her defence none of their chakras were particularly noteworthy. While their clothing was certainly high quality, it didn't quite seem to match the wealth that nobles or minor lords would typically display. These were hardly the first set of 'gawkers' at their camp as Muku put it. The Kusa genin and their retinue had been camped outside of the capital at their designated site for a few days now. None of the candidates were allowed into the city until the opening ceremonies, which couldn't be held until all the candidates arrived. While Kusa isn't particularly close to the Land of Iron, the village is much closer to the neutral nation than some of the other participating countries.
Many wealthy and powerful individuals traveled to the Land of Iron for the Games to enjoy the festivities, gamble and more importantly show off their wealth and power to their contemporaries. Groups of 'gawkers' were generally rich people too impatient for the games to start, who toured the various candidates' campsites hoping for an early look at the Genin.
Karin had been introduced to this practice on their very first day at the campsite, when a fat man in purple robes strode into their camp and grabbed her by the face to inspect. She gave the creep a quick kick to his nether regions. Her mentor actually had to apologize to the bastard for that, though admittedly there was something satisfying in seeing the jerk bend over backwards.
"Wonder what's up with the papers," Muku said, once again snapping her out of her thoughts.
Karin scrutinized the gawkers closely and saw that they were all looking at cheap pieces of parchment.
"Those are tour maps," she realized.
"Hah, well that's just business sense, hope whoever's selling those is making a decent ryo."
"How can you laugh at this? They're treating us like zoo animals."
"Not zoo animals," Muku laughed. "More like celebrities." To Karin's surprise he started weaving hand signs.
"Katon Onidoro!"
Several fireballs shaped like demon heads formed around Muku, as he proceeded to shoot them into the sky resulting in several firework-like explosions. The startled samurai quickly realized the disturbance was the result of one of their charges practicing, while the gawkers clapped and cheered at the display. Having satiated their need for excitement, the gawkers quickly moved on, as a smiling Muku waved to them goodbye.
"GIVE ME A LITTLE WARNING NEXT TIME YOU BASTARD," Karin shouted at her partner for the Games.
"Sorry," he sheepishly responded, rubbing the back of his head with his hand. "Just wanted to make a good impression. Never know, one of them might be a sponsor."
"That may be Muku, but you shouldn't display your jutsu so openly. One of these tourists could easily be a spy from another village seeking information on the competition for the Games," said Zosui, as the Genin's mentor emerged from the tent. He glared, standing tall with his muscular physique towering over the pair.
"Y-yes Zosui-sensei," Muku stuttered.
"Maintain vigilance, our village has entrusted you with this vital task and I will not have you risk its prosperity performing for fools."
"Yes, sir," the downcasted genin replied.
"Now come along boy, I have a few more thoughts on how to deal with the jinchuriki."
Zosui guided the boy back into the tent without even sparing a glance back at Karin. She knew that in her mentor's mind she was just a tool, a weapon that Muku could use to acquire the bijuu the village so desperately seeked. She hated the man, who essentially served as her overseer in the village, Zosui who only gott this prestigious position as result of recommending her and this strategy for the Games. She hated the village elders who agreed to the idea of turning her into a sacrificial lamb.
She wished she could hate Muku too. There was a warmth in his chakra, not the burning dangerous intensity she would be able to feel from his father, Mui, the Master of Hozuki Castle. She wished she hated Muku, she truly did, because she's a survivor. Someway, somehow she was going to live through this. Surviving would be easier if she hated the boy she would likely have to kill to win.
A more aware Karin noticed a strong chakra approaching the camp. It felt as sharp and alert as the guards patrolling the camp's perimeter. Her suspicions were confirmed when a lone samurai came out of the woods and approached his counterparts at the camps' edge. They had a short, curt conversation, rather typical for a samurai as she had gathered so far, before the samurai who she assumed was a messner returned to the forest making his way from the camp
As he exited, one of the guards walked into the heart of the camp, steadily making his way directly towards her. He stopped just a few feet in front of her.
"Your mentor is in his tent shinobi" he spoke authoritatively, more a statement of fact than a question.
"Uh, yes sir Samurai…sir," Karin replied rather lamley. "They're going over their strategy again."
The Samurai stared at the tent for several seconds. While she struggled to read him under all of his armor, she believed he was mentalyy debating his next actions. Seemingly coming to a decision, he turned back to her.
"Inform you companions that the retinue from Hoshi have arrived, all 27 candidates are now present. The opening ceremony will begin tomorrow."
Sai didn't understand the need for pageantry. Well maybe that wasn't entirely true. Ceremony could instill an important sense of structure within the ranks, allowing leaders to display their superiority to their subordinates. After all, the Hokage held both a practical role as the military commander of the village and a ceremonial one.
But as the samurai waved in the carriage holding the Kumo Genin, he could not understand the necessity for all these frivaltries. A parade was just an impractical waste of both time and resources. When they were still camped outside of the city, Hatake had explained that the parade displayed the candidates for all the visiting merchants, nobles, and lords (or as Lord Danzo put it, sources of vital income) to see.
However, why did they have to go on display? Surely all these potential clients would observe the Genin and their skills at the games themselves. It was something that he felt determined to decipher, along with why his pink and yellowed hair attendants were so infuriated with him. At least Sai thought they were infuriated, the ability to consistently read human emotions still eluded him.
"KIRI!," yelled the Samurai at the gate, as the next carriage entered the city. A smiling sharp toothed silvered haired boy and a short brown haired girl rode off ahead, smiling and waving, while a booming voice in the distance announced their name to the spectators lining the main street. Sai wondered if he should smile when it was their turn, mentally berating himself for not practicing the expression in the morning.
The shout of "KONOHA" signaled that very turn, yet the samurai responsible for driving the two white horses pulling the carriage made no movement to start their ride. Another shout of "KONOHA" rang out again, a bit frustrated this time if Sai was right.
"Sorry, sorry we were just addressing a couple of final details," came the frantic apologies of his masked mentor, who hurriedly assisted Sai's 'partner' into the carriage.
Mentally he blamed the pink one for this delay, she had insisted on helping the Kurama Clan girl dress for the Opening Festivities. He hadn't needed any help from Uzumaki or Uchiha with his ceremonial kimono, a simple black garment with the symbol of a leaf on the back. Most Genin were wearing something similar. The girl's garment was slightly more extravagant, an orange and pink kimono that shared both Konoha's crest and that of the Kurama clan. Even so putting on some clothes and arranging hair shouldn't have taken this long. They had a clearly defined schedule after all, Konoha's spot as the third set of Genin in the Games had been known for a year.
As the reigning victors Kumo went first, followed by each of the remaining Five Great Nations in order of total victories at the Games. Then the minor nations in an order derived from continuous participation in recent Games, past victories, and just randomly closer to the end of the line. For one of those villages, a little lack of organization would be understandable. For Konoha, it was unacceptable.
His mentor for the Games, Hatake had a reputation for tardiness known even among even the rank and file members of ROOT. Clearly he had passed a trait that left one oblivious to the current time onto his students. A horrible affliction for any shinobi. However the man's skill was undeniable and thus he was allowed his little defects. In Sai's opinion the three Genin serving as his and the Kurama girl's attendants, could not afford such luxuries.
He looked over towards his partner as she at last settled into the cart. Yakumo Kurama, he had read her file and committed it to memory as any ROOT operative would have. No affinity for ninjutsu or taijutsu, only capable of utilizing genjutsu. He could see the logic in Lord Danzo's decision, both of their styles matched up well, both of jutsu utilized art, and she was expendable as her defects would likely prevent her from ever being a reliable shinobi.
There aren't many methods for overpowering a jinchuriki, powerful genjutsu would give them a chance, and if the reports were accurate, Kurama's genjutsu could be up to the task. Possibly. There was a risk factor, a lot more was being left to chance on this assignment than Sai was used to. She was frail, too frail to be allowed into the academy, something that was clearly evident all throughout their journey. Haruno had spent the entire expedition helping the girl with basic tasks. At least she was taking the role of attendant professionally, compared to the other two.
As the driver steered the horses into the city, Sai couldn't help remembering the last words Lord Danzo gave him in regards to his partner:
"When the time comes for her to die, or if you determine that defeat is inevitable, your final assignment is to destroy her brain."
That thought was pushed to the back of his mind, as they were greeted by the throngs of screaming spectators along the streets. Dimly, he could hear the call behind him for Iwa's team to proceed.
He had read that large crowds could make people nervous. He turned to smile at Yakumo, for smiling was an established method of reassuring people. From the glare he received from her, perhaps that information was inaccurate.
The cart was slow, at least by a shinobi's standards. Though it seemed faster than the other carts as the samurai attempted to catch up to the Kiri team. It was a fairly smooth ride, the streets had been cleared of any rocks or litter in anticipation of the parade, though flowers and other items thrown from the spectators littered the streets.
By now Suna and Taki had surely begun their own entrance into the city. Sai had been instructed to only look forwards during the parade, to look back would be a sign of weakness.
He felt a tug on his sleeve, and looked towards his 'partner' again. She wasn't looking back at him, instead still waving towards the audience members as they went by. The hand on his arm was for stability, not to get his attention. Frail indeed.
Further into the city they went. Sai mentally made notes of every potential escape route he could see, though his sight was obscured by the masses, leaving him with very information gathered. Not that there was any need for that information, fleeing the city for any reason would be a black stain on the village, ROOT and Lord Danzo. Still it helped him pass the time.
At long last the cart arrived at the square in front of the towering fortress at the center of the city, the most famous landmark in this country of Samurai. Here the crowds were largest, with tall temporary wooden bleachers set up, and throngs of people standing on top of nearby building hoping to catch a glimpse. He quickly noticed the cameras, whose recording would be playing in theaters around the continent until the Games themselves began.
One by one the Genin in their carriages arrived in the square, forming a semi circle around the entrance, the odd numbered carriages moving to the left, the even ones to the right. As the third carriage to enter the city this put Konoha directly between the team from Kumo and his target.
Here he could afford to look around as many of the other competitors took this chance to size up their competition. Sai had already studied and memorized photographs of the other candidates, yet this first opportunity for a live observance offered opportunity for new insights.
His eyes had been drawn first to his target, Sabaku no Gaara. Sai quickly realized that he wasn't alone. Almost every single Genin (plus a few of the more aware members of the crowd) was staring straight at the cart carrying the team from Suna. The girl standing next to Gaara was shaking, a poor display for a shinobi representing their village. Was it nerves from the crowd, or fear of her jinchuriki partner? Didn't matter, she would fold under pressure quickly. Not a threat.
Gaara himself was looking straight ahead with what could only be considered a bored expression, ignoring the dozens of eyes of those planning to kill him. He looked shorter than Sai had mentallly visualized. Despite his indifference, the boy still seemed alert, ready to strike or defend at a moment's notice, a true shinobi.
Just because the redhead was the primary threat did not mean the others could be taken lightly. The pair from Kumo, seemed well poised and in sync in their brief movements. The rumor was they were teammates of Samui, the previous year's victor, they'd likely make a lethal duo.
Unlike the rest, Tsuchikage's granddaughter represents at least something of a known quantity. ROOT had a report on the kunoichi, accurately predicting her selection for this year's Games. That didn't make her any less dangerous, dealing with a Yoton user would be tricky. Her massive partner would alp surely be a threat, based on appearances alone he may have the most sheer physical strength of any of the candidates.
The Hozuki boy from Kiri and his partner, likely another kekkei genkai user, represented surprising selections. Kekkei genkei were being eliminated with brutal force all over the bloody mist. However it seemed cutthroat practically had overcome ideology in this particular case.
Sai had less time to observe the 17 remaining participants from the minor villages, but a few stood out from a quick glance. Bright red hair girl, likely signifying an Uzumaki from Kusa, a tall Ame boy with two scars running down the right side of his face, there's experience there, the sole representative of Nadeshiko, the only village with an exception that allows them to send a singular kunoichi, the pair from Hoshi, rumors were the village had resumed their unique training, and lastly a boy dressed in bandages from Oto with a metal contraption on his arm.
Oto represents a village of intrigue, still the youngest military power among their contemporaries, the village generated incredible interest when they won the games with their first ever entry, though poor results in subsequent years led to that interest waning to a small degree.
BONG
BONG
BONG
With three rungs of a bell the entire crowd became silent. Above the parapets of the fortress emerged an elderly man with a long gray mustache and goatee, with bandages wrapped around his forehead. Mifune: the commanding general of the Tetsu no Kuni's military forces and the ceremonial administor of the Games.
His booming voice commanded respect, Sai could understand how this man became a military leader.
"Welcome one and all to the 73rd Annual Genin Games. This year we have 27 highly skilled candidates representing fourteen different nations. The largest assembly of candidates in the history of the Games. To the young men and women standing before me, I give you my respect, there is bravery and honor in fighting for one's nation."
Mifune gave a slight pause, for the briefest moment Sai noticed the general glancing down towards Gaara, before continuing.
"We have entered an era of peace since the end of the 3rd Great Shinobi War. As we fight in the arena, let us strive to ensure that that is where the fighting stays. That this battlefield should be the only battlefield our continent should have to endure."
A slight smattering of applause, but also several whispers emerged from the crowd. These were not typical opening ceremony remarks Sai gathered.
"With that in mind, I officially declared the 73rd Genin Games Open!" This time the crowd roared at Mifune's words, and music began to play. The gates to the fortress opened and one by one, in the same order they entered the city, the carriages entered the fortress.
Next Chapter, The Belle of the Ball: Alliances are formed as the Candidates sit down together for a ceremonial dinner, while Kakashi tries to wrangle together some sponsor money at the opening dance.