Spoiler:

The little shinobi was told to wait in a small tavern for the shinobi he was supposed to meet. He was in fact, quite wary of doing so as it had been some time since he had infact had an encounter that wen't as smoothly as he hoped - psychologically or not.  Things had been rough for the young shinobi, whether it be finding his roots in the social radical that was his father or wishing for a place that wasn't the world he was born into as he knew as time dragged on though the chuunin exams were in fact coming he was also dragging behind. Falling behind in what it meant to be a shinobi but also as a well adjusted adult. He was isolated, afraid and alone and each day that absence of warmth that he once felt was growing. It was as if his lungs were filled with water and his head full of air. Perhaps it was just the time of day, maybe the season or perhaps the increasing events that were taking their toll on the young shinobi but all he knew was that showing these emotions would be pointless. Utterly and completely pointless. He would just make others feel as he felt, he would just spread that emptiness and something within him could not bring himself to do so and thus he tried his best to maintain composure. To be kind to others and try and bring a light even where it may be most dark.

The little shinobi gave a short chuckle as he shook his head, sitting at his small rounded table as he looked down into the cup of hot water he held. He was being far to melancholy for someone his age. Perhaps this was the life of a shinobi after all. He pulled himself together and began to slowly tap his fingers on the desk as his mind brought forth images of just what a jounin tier shinobi would look like. He was a simple Medical Genin, nothing special and only ever fit for combat in the sense that he was a support for those who excelled in the field. He was, by all sense of the word, a tool and no warrior.

Would the person be draped in shadow and wear a crimson slash across their nose? Perhaps they would be a mountain of a hulking mass with ruffled wild hair and giant fangs or even a beautiful woman of silver hair with a ghostly visage? It was hard to know. He, admittedly, had never even gazed upon the higher ups. The idea of them was foreign, all he knew was that they bore a mask and were shrouded but outside of this naught much more. He scanned the room for life but nobody seemed to fit his ideal of what a hunter-nin would be. and thus the little crow waited for his mission's commander.

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WC: 491
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“Rout the enemy force.”

The Blue Turbans were a nasty group of dissidents. Mere thugs, unworthy to even be recognized as true shinobi, who wandered the outer edges of Kirigakure territory raiding unprotected farmlands. Wretched bandits masquerading as something greater. That they were a self described “Religious Order” only further inflamed Chigetsu’s sentiment against them. He had struck down many foes of Kirigakure without feeling anything. No anger at hatred. This “cult” worshiping their “Sea God” was infuriating beyond compare. It was ignorance. It was intolerable blasphemy. Not even getting into the complicated religious politics of his clan, this was outraging. Once it became known to him that remnants of the Blue Turban movement still existed Chigetsu went to provide much needed action. The leftover frustrations from his time in the desert drove him to it. He was more than happy to volunteer for this as soon as his body was back in working shape. The scars of his time away at war would fade away, and he would throw himself now quickly into the next.

He would meet first with the child that would accompany him. Their meeting place, a small out of the way tavern, would be entered. Chigetsu had dolled himself up in the garb of formality, adorned in the classic mask of the famed Hunter-Killer Nin. The mask itself did little to obscure his identity, as the man’s distinct pink hair would still flow down freely without being hidden. Such a blatantly distinctive appearance would have been better hidden with the cloak and hood commonly dolled out with these masks, but Chigetsu wasn’t trying to hide who he was. The mask was only for formality. Upon seeing it the enemies of Kirigakure would know that one of the village’s Hunter-Killer Nin were let loose upon them, and that they were ordered to be hunted. That enough was worth wearing the mask for.

“Xiao Guan.” A seat would be silently taken from across the child he had been partnered with. Through the mask Chigetsu’s normally somewhat androgynous voice came out deep and gravely, something entirely uncharacteristic with his rather feminine appearance. “You’ve been recruited for the purpose of tactical support on this mission. As a search and destroy expedition you’ll be expected to assist in the execution of Kirigakure’s enemies with unhesitating impenitence.” The shock between voice and appearance was something that Chigetsu ended immediately as he pulled the mask away, revealing himself to the other. “Yada yada… I’m sure you know all the information. There’s no need for any of that formality…” The very serious voice he had adopted seconds ago to list out mission information melted away, and he would address the small shinobi with a smile now. “We should start moving soon, but why don’t you tell me about yourself first?” Working together with a genin had its ups and downs. They probably wouldn’t put much question into your leadership or contest your plans, unless you had a particularly annoying one. They could very easily become a burden though in combat, especially if…

“Tell me, have you ever killed another person before?”

---

[532]

As he heard his name tingles flowed down his spine and caused him to jolt, almost standing at attention from fright of the way it was spoken and then a sudden appearance of a shinobi causing the little crow's eyes to bulge at what he thought may have very well been a spirit - a type of entity that seemed to follow Xiao Guan wherever he may go. The ruffled feathers of his coat began to shift as his hands shook staring directly into the strange mask, unable to truly look away out of pure terror. As the mission brief was given the little shinobi tensed his fist and began to think of all the errors he may have made or by extension the errors that could transpire was in no way a professional nor even close to an elite shinobi. In truth he was a simple shinobi whose only real contribution to the shinobi world was his handiness with medical jutsu. By all intents and purposes he was hardly a warrior, he was simply support.

That was until the hunter nin responded with 'Yada Yada', a seinfieldian expression that showed his true personality and revealed atleast in part the underlying comedic roots that this hunter nin had. It was here that Xiao Guan's eyes would trace over the hunter nin, his distinct pink hair notably being where the little crow's eyes proceeded to focus in on. He couldn't help it. It was enticing like cotton candy but silken like flat noodles. It was truly a beautiful sight that caused the young shinobi to subconciously start imagining what could lead to such distinctive coloration. Perhaps he was part of a clan of gum users? It was hard to know but whatever the reason caused Xiao Guan's curiousity to spike.

As the hunter nin continued to speak he was told to say something about himself, unsure of how to truly react to a hunter ninja the little crow proceeded to stand directly upright next to his chair, at full attention with his hands against his side and saluting for reasons he didn't quite know "UHHHH Xiao Guan! Genin! Kirigakure! My Dad sells Radish and My Mother cooks it! I like music and can play it pretty well! Your hair looks delicious! I am an aspiring seven swordsman member and one day I....will...." he lost his train of thought for a moment and began to rub his brow unsure "Right! I will hope to protect Kirigakure! Sir Yes....Sir.." he continued once again not entirely sure of how to react until the question was asked if he had ever killed another "N-Never...though, I mean, I've heard of it, does that count? I am aware of the concept of killing...just uh...not the practicality of it, that is to say" he retorted to the hunter nin unsure of whether this would displease the hunter or not. In truth Xiao Guan had no killer instinct, no blood lust or 'demonic' alter ego that drove him to strike out. He was a simple Genin with simple ambition and had never even seen combat outside of a friendly spar.

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533
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Chigetsu stared the child up and down. Everything was examined, from the feathers in the boy’s coat to the direction and expression present in his eyes. There would be the unmistakable hint of amusement present in Chigetsu’s expression, staring down at the nervous child. The little outburst could almost be described as cute. The son of radish farmers and an aspiring member of the seven swordsmen? He would let that comment about his hair pass without comment. It came to the point where Chigetsu couldn’t help but let out a light giggle though. Xiao seemed like a nice kid. Whether they were a burden or not could be overlooked if they were pleasant to be around.

“Seven Swordsmen member? You dream big, kid. I like that. Don’t let go of your dreams.” The current state of the Seven Swords could use more little children looking up to them naively, trying to one day reach their heights. That was certainly how he was when meeting Lord Osada and Nozomi. But that was then, and this was now. It was definitely interesting for one to have those ambitions while also having so little experience with thoughts of killing. The uncomfortable manner in which Xiao answered spoke volumes. “Keep close to me while we’re out there. If everything goes ideally you won’t have to do much, so don’t worry yourself about anything.” While he had asked Xiao to talk about himself, it wasn’t something that Chigetsu would do in return. Revealing his face like this while acting as a Hunter-Killer Nin was already suspect. Just stating his identity would be an unfortunate mistake. Although it likely wouldn’t matter, Chigetsu enjoyed following the rules sometimes.

If this little kid was telling the truth about their ambitions this would be a good learning experience, if anything. Almost out of curiosity now Chigetsu would get down to business, wanting to see how this one would react, and if they knew what they had signed themselves up for. “We’ll be going after a group called the ‘Blue Turbans’. You might have heard of them before. A terrorist group that sprung up after the death of the last Mizukage, Sero Osada. They’ve been mostly wiped out, but small groups of them still pop up every now and then. If you have any questions, ask on the way there. We’ll be leaving… about now.” The mask would be placed back on, and the deeper voice from earlier would return. The tavern only served as a place to meet. Staying any longer than necessary would just take time away from the mission. Standing up, Chigetsu would push aside the chair he had been sitting in, turning to the door with little hesitation. “Our targets are located in a small encampment several kilometers north of our current location, close to a small estuary. The goal is to disrupt their main force and eliminate their commander. We should arrive around dusk if we keep a solid pace.”

Turning now, Chigetsu would move to leave the building. In all honesty there wasn’t any real reason to leave this early. There wasn’t that much of a need to immediately target or destroy this particular group. They were of no threat to the machine that was Kirigakure. Eliminating them entirely would be easy. Compared to what he went through in Sunagakure it would even be fun. But like all other threats that roamed the countryside they served a purpose. Threats needed to exist in order for them to take missions, and thus get paid. A safe society would remove the need for shinobi, and thus dangers needed to alway exist. However, the reason why Chigetsu was rushing to meet this threat was much more personal than the financial incentive they represented to the village. Wasting time would only eat away at them.

It would be several hours of travel by foot until they would arrive to the designated area. The entire thing had taken longer than strictly necessary, with Chigetsu adjusting his speed to allow for the child to keep up. He wasn’t so cruel as to leave the boy behind. A vantage point would be occupied once they had both arrived, high on and overlooking hill that easily looked down over the seaside farmlands and cultist camps. What they were assaulting could hardly be considered a stronghold, looking in appearance closer to a refugee camp. The majority of structures were simple camps, with the mess of buildings being constructed sloppily out of refuge and collected scrap.

“See if you can take a count of how many are still active.” A small extendable telescope would be produced from Chigetsu’s cloak, and then handed over to Xiao. “Once you identify them we’ll move in. If we’re lucky, I’ll be able to get most of them in their sleep.”

---

[822/1354]

As the hunter ninja laughed at Xiao the little shinobi felt a cold shiver up his spine as his mind went to concepts of what may have beens. Was he mocking him? Tempting the little shinobi who he had deemed unworthy and in a flash would strike him down? The little shinobi knew not of what it could be but all he knew was that his mind was a neurotic as it was innocent. Freezing for a moment if not to try and stop himself from shaking so severely the little shinobi began to flick his thumb with his index finger, a nervous tick of his when thinking. It was here that the hunter nin told him to never give up on his dreams to which the little shinobi gave a determined nod with a grin "Never give up, Never surrender, that's me!" he said with a beaming smirk - forgetting all at once the terror he had felt mere moments ago, such was the way of the little shinobi.

The hunter nin informed Xiao Guan of the necessity of staying close, this much Xiao Guan knew as it was he was a frail boy who happened to show his skill in the medical arts and his silver tongue more than that of immense power or latent potential. He was by all senses of the word a support based shinobi as of right now, more of a Sakura than that of a Sasuke or Naruto - forever damned to be stated to be important and yet never amounting to more than the odd glance by those who desired his unique look. As the shinobi nodded along to the instructions given to him he couldn't help but agree...until he heard the name he had once heard echoed before by his mother. A name he often overlooked but as events unfolded in his life seemingly grew more important: 'Sero Osada'. Despite this he still adhered to the advice given or rather the orders given to him by the deliciously candy flossed haired hunter.

As he followed the deadly candy flossed haired ninja, Xiao Guan couldn't help but admire his cool demeanor. It seemed this world of shinobi truly was one filled with heroes doing their part. Though each had their own agenda, and each their own way of life, every ninja he had encountered thus far had been one of a prideful honorable way of life that he could admire. He didn't know where he would end up really, whether he would even qualify as a ninja on their level but regardless he would still strive to, no matter what, bring a legacy to his name whether it one of heightened virtue or one of cementing his status no matter the cost.

As Xiao Guan followed Chigetsu with his hands gently placed behind his back - his own way of showing respect - he would listen to the hunter ninja with a great fascination but one important question continued to plague his mind, a question he could not fully escape, one that weighed heavily on his heart and so the little crow decided to ask "When you become a hunter ninja...Do you have to make your own mask? Do you get to pick what is on it? Do you get to stylize it how you wish?" he wondered allowed examining the mask of the hunter-nin.

The road was long and as it continued on the little shinobi had many questions that he accidentally blurted out such as what sword was Chigetsu's favorite? Who was his hero? What was their favorite food? One hundred and two interesting facts about bees and of course an abundance of humming and whistling. It wasn't that Xiao Guan was a disrespectful soul, rather the opposite, the little boy had grown up mostly surrounded by those of his own people who had a tendency to be quite blunt and straightforward. If you had a long nose, that would be your nickname for life. If you had let down your father, he would surely let you know what a disgrace you were and so on and thus he had adopted the attitude that if he wished to say something, he surely would. Nothing was left unsaid, because nothing was unsaid.

As they neared a vantage point the little shinobi squatted in his recognizable 'slavic' pose as he gazed upon what looked like a huddle of makeship encampment. Something that he had heard rumor were quite popular in Konohagakure No Sato since the great was with the sand. "It looks like the homes of the sand wanderers..." he muttered allowed, once again keeping nothing unspoken a habit that perhaps one day he would need to break. As the little shinobi looked onward the hunter nin presented a telescope handing it to the little crow with instruction "Sure! Roger that." he stated gazing through the spy glass and gazing below attempting to take something of a headcount and entirely unsure of what Chigetsu meant by 'get them in their sleep', assuming he meant something far less lethal than the reality of the situation. Xiao Guan, though odd as it may seem, had a tendency to adhere to the rule of no lethality out of situation rather out of a strict code. He had, for example, a bad experience thus far with death and being surrounded by his people who so treasured community had given him a great respect for life. To bloody his hands, seemed to bloody his soul and the little shinobi whether he knew it or not had made that decision whether that be harmful or helpful.

He began to count the heads of each donning a blue sigil upon their body somewhere, a small indicator of their involvement or atleast assumed involvement. He made a rough estimate of perhaps 20 shinobi at minimum to which he stroked his thinned and gaunt face "I'd...estimate between the tents perhaps 20 or so...that's rough though, very rough." he remarked with a determined and furrowed brow "Could be more but I doubt it's less, y'know"


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1024
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The day was pleasant. There was a slight breeze that brushed through his hair in an almost affectionate manner. The sun shone down with a radiant warmth through the thickness of the fog. Sweeping fog brushed the humidity this country was characteristic for across every surface. It was cooling and yet the warmth from the sun could still reach them. Maybe someone who wasn’t used to the climate would call it uncomfortable and sticky, but this the climate that people from Kirigakure were born for. He stretched casually as he left the building. Today would be a good day. It was just one of those feelings he got when waking up this morning. So far everything seemed to be confirming that. He would have fun today.

He would entertain any questions this little kid might have on the way there. It was a casual atmosphere. Cool. Relaxed. Even though he had his scary mask on. Maybe he should have waited until they got there to put it on. He liked how serious it made his voice but at the same time switching between it and normal all the time was a hassle. Oh well. The mask would be pull up, and Chigetsu would take a breath of fresh air again. The seriousness would wait for later. “The mask…?” Staring back at the boy behind him Chigetsu would smile, almost giggling again at how the question struck a similar topic to his internal dialogue. “I just got one of the basic ones, but anyone can submit a design and have it approved for their own personal use. I’ve never been the artsy type so I’ve been satisfied with what they gave me.” Any other question that the boy might ask would be answered with that same bubbly demeanor. His favorite sword? He preferred knives, but shorter length swords like wakizashis would do perfectly fine. His hero? A hard to answer question. A while ago he might have answered the Mizukage, or Sero Osada. Not anymore. The village of Kirigakure itself was his hero, and all the hard working shinobi that fought to keep it safe. Maybe a little bit of a cop-out. His favorite food? Jello or yogurt, or really anything drinkable. The rest of the conversation went to interesting places. He didn’t know all too much about bees or anything along those lines but he was fine with playing along to whatever topic that happened to come to Xiao’s head.

Upon their arrival at the vantage point was when he placed the mask back on. While the mask didn’t have traditional eyeholes a complicated fuuinjutsu placed onto both sides allowed him to see through the mask as if it were glass. “Twenty.” He would repeat, staring down at the camp. “Shouldn’t be difficult. Keep silent and follow my lead.” Leaving the spyglass in the hands of the kid, Chigetsu would start down the hill that would lead to the enemy encampment. His hands would flash together in an instant. From ox to snake to ram. The Hiding in Mist Technique. The already present fog would begin to thicken immediately, clouding together until all that could be seen was a pearly-white realm of obscuring fog. It wasn’t uncommon for the mist to gather to be this thick in Kirigakure, especially not at this time of day, and so laying over a thick fog wouldn’t be something that would immediately alert their prey. Together with the darkness of dusk it would serve as the perfect moment to move in without being seen. With the mist acting as a cover he would approach. The particular manner in which he began to walk would immediately signal his intent to anyone close enough to see. It wasn’t the Silent-Killing Method, but a silent walking technique that served as one of the fundamental core elements of Hunter-Killer Nin stealth techniques. The toes and ball of his foot would come down before any weight would be pressed down into his heel. He would shift his weight slowly with each step, picking each knee up and then placing it down delicately. It was all gentle and delicate, based around a swift awareness of balance and where his weight was being placed. When dealing with the already moist ground so close to the shore walking silently became a necessity. Even with the fog clouding the vision of their targets one little squelch could give their position away. With the sun already having set the majority of the Blue Turbans had already resigned to their tents for the night. A measly four guards had been left to protect against any incursions. They had become too comfortable. For a group of only twenty to exist was by itself amusing, but the manner in which they were operating already revealed that they were second-rate soldiers. It was clear they were in such small numbers because they were some special elite, but simply because the numbers of this group had already dwindled to such a great extent.

Every so often he would look to make sure that the boy was still there with him. He could see a bit further than most in the mist, but should Xiao stray too far even Chigetsu would be able to see him. Even with the mist he would attempt to keep in the shadows. The guard stationed at the southwestern portion of the camp would be approached first, which had been the closest to their original position. Motioning back to Xiao to stay still momentarily, Chigetsu would strike forward. Circling around where the man was positioned Chigetsu would take him from behind. A kunai would be shoved into his throat, slicing open his throat in a single movement. Chigetsu’s other hand would be kept tightly over the man’s throat, holding him still and silent as he dealt with the shock. The strength left the guard’s body quickly, and it was only a matter of seconds after that the he would be limp and unmoving in Chigetsu’s arms. The corpse would be placed down gently and allowed to rest before he would return back to Xiao.

The scent of blood was quickly erased. Despite how much blood had been spilled from the man in that moment Chigetsu’s hands would be clean now, and instead in his hands would be a bundled shirt. Getting as close to Xiao as possible he would press the bundled fabric into the male’s arms. “Bring this to the center of the campsite. I will take care of anyone who might still be awake. When you’ve finished return to the vantage point.” His words would be no more than whispers, and as soon as they were finished he would be gone, having disappeared into the mist with his kunai, leaving the shirt in Xiao’s arms.

---

[1155/2509]

As he was instructed by the hunter ninja to keep quiet and stick close Xiao Guan, admittedly was quite satisfied with this instruction giving a smile and a thumbs up followed by an okay sign as he could not addmitedly decide which one looked better both hands opted to make both signs as he held the spyglass, unsure entirely of what to do and thus opting to simply place it within the strappings of his back of his red flak jacket. Following close in a hunched position the little spider would ensure that he kept his body as low as possible and try to remember the basics of CQC in his desperation to impress the hunter ninja he performed a few stylish moves rolling into a prone position and crawling for a bit, then darting behind rock or brush that he deemed decent enough to hide behind. The hunter ninja would then create a seeping mix that caused chakra based mist that truly made the shinobi stare in awe. He had no real talent for the mystic arts and yet here he was glancing upon a shinobi truly creating something from the very energy within him.

As the fog grew the little shinobi attempted to cover his eyes but then realised that it was quite stupid to do so as this chakra based fog wouldn't do much besides obscure them...though a sudden fog may have made quite the alert in Sunagakure or one of the warmer regions this climate was perfect for the technique, the perfect tool for a shinobi to utilize to hide himself from even the Uchiha clan themselves. Xiao Guan had no reason to try and obscure himself to the point of a serpent hidden in enemy territory and thus he opted instead to remain in a crouched position as he followed the shinobi of the mist. This must have been how hunter ninja truly operated, in a way that was both stealthy and yet effective in a perfect sense. In a way that made the shinobi almost quiver at the sense of deadly energy given off by the hunter ninja, the cold dead silence making it as if he had done it a thousand times before much to the delight of the shinobi who conjured images of the pink haired shinobi slashing and culling through the crop of enemy shinobi all in the way of Kirigakure. It was exactly what Xiao Guan wished to be, Xiao Guan wished to become that shield of Kirigakure. It's true that the shield he wished to be had diminished with the longer time he had spent in the role of the shinobi but Chigetsu had reinvigorated him, made him sure of where and what he needed to be.

Four armed men, four men meant they were outnumbered and this fact made the shinobi begin to panic somewhat. What could happen was endless, they could slash them down, they could be masters of genjutsu but there was no way to know. In an instant his instincts kicked in in which he would grasp the side of his arm in an L-lock stance in preperation for any oncoming attacks and yet Chigetsu looked entirely fine, entirely calm this entire time much to the surprise of the little spider.

As they gently made their way to the enemy territory the shinobi was almost shaking as Chigetsu effortlessly moved proving that he must have done this time and time again. He would look to the hunter ninja both for approval and for instruction of just what to do. Instruction of what he could do to achieve the desired results of becoming a grand shield of kirigakure like Chigetsu was. They made their approach stealthily, as per the mists tradition as Xiao Guan looked on trying to mirror the hunter nin. The shinobi moved in anticipation and cold fear, hyper alert to all things about him and taking in everything he could see causing a sensory overload in his heightened state. As he was motioned to stay back Xiao Guan gave a swift nod followed by crouching low, taking a knee as he gazed upon the hunter ninja with worried eyes. In an instant, the shinobi of the mist was behind their target with a blade upon his neck and then...

Then everything a shinobi who valued life like Xiao Guan was terrified of began. A flick of a knife and a spray of bloody mist that ended the life of a shinobi, no. Not a shinobi, another human being. Something within Xiao Guan churned, his stomach felt uneasy and his eyes widened as the body was placed down so softly and silently it was as if the man was already a spirit. Shaking gently as he looked onward the little spider's finger twitched in fear. Though he had not truly seen the sight, rather the flash of red was all he had seen, the implication was enough to make him feel as such. He decided then and there to decide perhaps that moment, that moment was not the end of a life but rather a trick the shinobi had done to scare others off. He shook his head, yes, that must be it, there was no way he would actually...kill that easily.

As Chigetsu returned the little shinobi cocked his head to the side in confusion. He was clean, crisp and fine. Perhaps Xiao's thoughts that
it was a mere illusion were correct. As Xiao looked to the bundled shirt he gave a glance to it with a smile on his face naively assuming everything would be fine. He gave a nod and a wink as he began to silently trod towards the center point of the meeting grounds.
He would gently tread, attempting to mirror the acts and movement to that of a slow crawl. He walked as if he was tredging through honey, slow and deliberate as he tried his best to make his way to the center of the camp opting not to hold a weapon in hand but rather focusing on where he was going. As he made each step gently and deliberately making his way whilst trying to make his way to the center unsure of what would come forth.


1041

Once the shirt left his hand Chigetsu would be off. There wasn’t time to waste, especially with what he had given to Xiao. The boy would be attempting to sneak his way into the center of the camp to drop off the shirt he had been given, and so the remaining guards had to be removed as quickly as possible. Their general locations had been memorized from his point up on the hills above looking down, and as they didn’t seem to be attempting any sort of patrol it would be simple to find them even in this thick mist. The real variable was Xiao’s performance. Chigetsu could easily sneak through this campsite and take care of the other guards without waking a soul. The only way things could get out of hand was if Xiao ended up accidentally waking somebody up. While this was supposed to be a test of sorts for the young boy, it would be better to allow some sort of safety net should things go horribly wrong. For that purpose his hands flashed together again. His body would appear to split, and liquid would peel off into a form of its own. The Water Clone Jutsu. He had a handy source of water, that being his own body, and so it was easy to use this whenever necessary. The real Chigetsu would be off to take care of the other three guards, while the water clone Chigetsu would be tailing Xiao. He would keep at a distance to ensure he wasn’t noticed by the boy, but stalking him in this manner would let him be close incase the kid woke anyone up by mistake and got himself in trouble.

Luckily it seemed as though the kid had picked something up by watching Chigetsu. The way he mimicked the manner in which Chigetsu walked was amusing, but it showed that he was learning quickly. The clone would trail Xiao until he made it to the center of the campsite as he was instructed. While Chigetsu hadn’t told this to Xiao the shirt was essentially a method for taking care of the entire campsite at once. Within the stitching of the shirt were dozens of explosive tags, all hidden carefully to not expose the shirt’s nature as a bomb. Placed in the center of the campsite it would serve as an innocuous way for them to take out the entire camp at once. The clone would smile as it watched over Xiao at the center of the campsite. He was actually able to sneak in stealthily enough as to not wake anyone. Once Xiao had placed the shirt down and left it in the center of the campsite the clone would back off. It would watch Xiao as he returned back to the vantage point, and once the boy exited the camp all together it would willingly disperse itself.

The other three guards would be taken care of easily. The same exact process would be taken in eliminating the other guards. They would be snuck up on from behind. A kunai would be shoved tightly into their throats and then a hand placed over their mouth. The liquid of his body would be forced in, creating a seal over their lips and nostrils as to not let any air out. Not a sound. The only noise would be the slightest sound of their throat being slashed open and the struggle of dying men. The blood would be absorbed into his body afterwards, all of it that got on him consumed to keep him clean and pristine. He was a stickler for aesthetics, and being covered in blood wasn’t something he particularly enjoyed the look of. Four corpses laid on the ground as he finished. With his work complete he would move to leave, returning to the vantage point.

Once up above on those hills overlooking the camp again he would wait for Xiao’s return. It wouldn’t be long until he say the boy again. He was able to feel the moment his clone dispersed, with all the chakra flooding back to him. Upon the boy reaching the hill once again he would give Xiao a small pat on the head. Behind the mask he would be smiling. “Good job. We’re all finished here now.” He would form a single hand seal afterwards. From behind the campsite would erupt into flames, the bombs hidden in the shirt that Xiao had delivered all going off at once with that simple movement from Chigetsu. The tightly clustered campsites would be blown away in an instant. A small fire would rage now in the ruins of where it had been, with wreckage of bits of tarp and blown off limbs strewn across the area. He would remove his mask after that, placing it down on a hook in his belt. “It was a pleasure working with you, Xiao.” After those words left his mouth Chigetsu would be gone, having disappeared in a flash, and leaving Xiao alone on the hills overlooking where the camp had been.

---

[855/3364]

WC:

[EXIT]

As the boy made his way through the twisting city lines in the dense fog generated by the strawberry haired hunter he couldn't help but focus in on his heart pounding, his mind focused on his objective. He didn't want to fight, nor did he wish to push himself beyond that of his place in this newly established and short dynamic duo but instead had his objective in mind and nothing more. This was the best option he had, anyway, to ensure that he would slowly be impressing the shinobi around him and adding to his reputation as a shinobi of prowess rather than one of the chaff that needed culling in the great harvesting of the chuunin exams. Oh those exams truly were pressing hard on the shinobi, unsure entirely if he in his state of hoping only to become the worlds leading doctor, to actually do anything harmful to his opponent. He often thought perhaps he might be able to just talk his opponent down, perhaps his skill in subterfuge and espionage would be enough but it was often difficult to fully know if that would be enough when facing down the bad end of a sharingan or a rain of senbon.

He made his way stealthily through the streets, deliberately ensuring that each step was as muted as he could possibly give, ensuring that he was alert and ready for any incoming assault though at the time he seemed to be in the clear as clear as the silent fog could provide him anyway. Keeping low to the ground at all times and ensuring everything done was as deliberate as possible he made his way through the campsite keeping his head about him and constantly ensuring that even if he was to dart his eyes across that his blinking might be as slow and deliberate as possible. Counting his breathing to ensure his heart rate slowed and to ensure that everything done was utterly silent. With each tredge forward he began to make it to the very center of the camp.

Unsure of why Chigetsu actually made him carry a shirt, Xiao had figured perhaps it was a quirk or perhaps a rib on his part. Perhaps a way of making Xiao feel useful when all he had done really was scout for the hunter ninja. It was hard to really comprehend his role in the mission and yet he was there all the same and he was delighted that Chigetsu would allow him to do so regardless of his percentile input into the mission as a whole.

Laying the shirt gently down Xiao felt perhaps if this was Chigetsu's 'quirk' then perhaps a quirk would be what he needed. Deciding to grasp a small stick and plant it firmly in the ground, then with a flick of a marker sketching a quick image of a strawberry the shirt would make for a makeshift flag of sorts. As Xiao made his way, wandering almost aimlessly for Chigetsu he would soon realise that the shinobi had long made his way back to the hills and so as he began to stumble upward the hill he would wave to the strawberry haired shinobi with great delight. "H-Hey! Sorry! I took so long, The mist, y'know..." he admitted sadly but was met instead with a good job and an...explosion. Xiao's naivety assumed it may have been Chigetsu's way of congratulating him and as his heart darted around looking for the explosions location he would proceed to give a thumbs up to Chiegtsu "Thank you Candy-Sensei!" he stated with a quick bow of respect "You are too kind! I-If you ever need assistance, do not hesitate to ask!" the little spider would state before making way to the next adventure.

[DESPACITO]

3734/2500
1,200/Extra Ryo