The weather in Sunagakure was hot and harsh, nearly unbearable for someone was accustomed to the cold as Issei had been. Sure, he'd lived in Iwa before and that was hot in the summers too, but this was a new kind of heat that permeated him and left him exhausted even after just a few steps. Now, Issei was no expert, and he didn't have any bright and exciting ideas for recruiting ninja to join Ninshiki, especially in a new village where there were different rules and different people. He planned to do exactly what he did in Kiri; set up somewhere public and establish an audience, show them what he was capable of and what he wanted to do, and see who was willing to join the cause. From what he understood, Sunagakure's political and social climate was turbulent, with a new Kazekage recently inaugurated and the village's population still bustling as always, sheltered by their giant wall and isolated from the rest of the world. Their shinobi and clans native to the Land of Wind were known for their unorthodox fighting styles, unique weapons and elemental natures, and competitive spirits. So, that was what Issei wanted to appeal to.

The Kiri-nin went to an area just outside of the Grand Bazaar, where the crowds were dense enough that they weren't passing through in the blink of an eye, but they weren't practically immobile and perusing wares like inside of the Bazaar, either. He set up a makeshift tent out of cloth and wooden sticks as supports, burying them deep enough in the sand to provide stability. He used an abandoned barrel as a table and put some leftover cloth on the ground to cover the sand beneath him. The tent hung loosely overhead to shield Issei's eyes from the sun, and it flapped with every strong gust that blew past. Issei made a hand seal with one hand and held out his opposite hand, the cloth wrapped around his wrist face-up. The seal one it disappeared, and in a cloud of smoke, a pile of clothes took its place. He set them down and repeated the same with his other hand, this time pressing his palm onto the ground and unsealing 4 sets of armor.

With his setup established, he leaned back against the barrel and watched the people walk by, waiting for one curious enough to stop and ask what the armor was or what the robes were. He purposely had made himself look like a merchant who had set up shop in order to get more attention from various shoppers, but the only people who he paid any attention to were the ones wearing Sunagakure headbands, so he knew without at doubt that they were shinobi. His own headband was tied to his right bicep. He was a bit worried that someone would try to run off with the wares, though; trying to chase a thief down when he was a foreigner in the middle of a crowded shopping district didn't sound like much fun, but he would do it, if necessary.

As the blistering, hot sun of the Land of Wind shone down over the Village Hidden in the Sands, Kuno stepped from the door of his home into the streets of the village. He was filled with a new kind of energy, one with which he was not very accustomed. It was a confusing feeling, but one that he could understand himself feeling given the circumstances of his life at that moment. Kuno was longing for an adventure. Now, he had always been one to enjoy the discovery of someone or something new, especially when he had been a young boy back in the Land of Fire. But this was a different feeling, one that had been brought on by the recent tragedies that had befallen him. With his mother murdered in their own home and his sister kidnapped by a gang that was now growing in the village’s underworld, Kuno was becoming exhausted with the repetitive nature that the days were holding. Each and every day, the newly promoted chuunin would get out of bed and dress, strapping on his crimson blade, Adolescent Ember, and step downstairs to see the kitchen where he had watched his mother die. That alone was exhausting, but then he would be reminded that he was now alone, because of the absence of his older sister. It was a crushing reality to wake up to every single morning, and it would almost always leave Kuno feeling defeated as he started his day.

So now Kuno wanted a change. He knew that he had been charge by the Kazekage personally to seek out this gang and to stop them, but he was beginning to feel like the investigation was going to run far deeper than he was allowed to explore at his current station. And since he was not coming up with any new leads during his daily investigations, the disappointment was beginning to weigh heavily on the young Uchiha. But today Kuno did not feel defeated; today he had realized that longing that he was feeling, and so he had decided that he would take a break from the daily missions and investigations in order to do something for himself for once. He was going to wander through the Grand Bazaar and find something interesting to examine and purchase, or somebody interesting to talk to. He deserved the break, and on top of that, he knew that working in his current discouraged state would do more harm than good.

And so the nineteen year old Uchiha strode through the streets of his home, on his way to see what oddities would await him that day. If he was honest with himself, he knew that he needed to purchase some kind of armour, especially considering the types of missions he would be taking on with his new rank, though funding such a purchase would be an issue for him at the moment, so for now he would have to be content with window shopping for such things. In any case, his casual stroll through the village did not take very long to become interesting for Kuno, as he rounded a corner that led to the main area of the Grand Bazaar, he spotted something he did not expect to see. There before him, through the crowds of people that were heading in and our of the Bazaar proper, was a makeshift tent out made from cloth and wooden sticks to hold the structure aloft. Underneath the tent was a barrel that was functioning as a table for a series of robes and strange looking armours that Kuno had never seen the likes of before. On top of all of this, there was a man behind the barrel that Kuno did not recognize, which on its own was not that big of a deal, but the forehead protector that he wore on his right bicep identified him as a member of the Village Hidden in the Mists.

Intrigued by the stranger, Kuno made his way trough the crowds in order to get a better view of the wares as well as the merchant selling the strange items. He was a man with an intimidating presence to say the least. His face was firmly outlined by his stern brow, sharp jawline, and squared chin hich was accented by his dull green eyes. His hair was silvery and messy, with a goatee of sorts occupying the lower half of his face along with a slight scruff of other facial hair. He appeared to be older than Kuno, though he was still shorter than the Uchiha, though his form was bulky enough to retain the imposing look that Kuno had first noticed. As he approached, the Suna chuunin adjusted his own forehead protector which he wore in its designated position and waved to the older man. “Good morning, I couldn’t help but notice this interesting looking armour. Is the look just for show? Or is it as special as it appears?”

WC:834

Within minutes of visual fishing, Issei had already gotten a bite. A man, likely near the end of his teenage years, slightly taller than Issei. He had dark hair with bits of red scattered about and his eyes were similarly dark. His curiosity shone in his face, and when he opened his mouth, Issei was already prepared to win him with words. The man's gaze was focused on the armor, and he asked if it was "just for show" or if it was as special as it looked. This made Issei chuckle to himself casually. "Oh, I can guarantee you that it is special, but everything is subjective. Here, why don't you try it out for yourself?" He stood up straight, taking his weight off of the barrel, and strode over to the armor pieces. He gestured with a broad stroke and continued, "You can take any of these. A chest, a shoulder piece, or a hand piece. All of them have the same effect, just different forms. Once you pick out the one you like, feel free to put it on and then I'll show you what it's capable of." Issei then walked over to the robes and masks and started to sort through them and fold them neatly into separate stacks.

Meanwhile, since the man was taking his time to equip the armor and get a feel for it, in all of its mechanical, tube-covered glory, Issei figured he would take this opportunity to introduce himself, give some backstory, and plug Ninshiki as nonchalantly as possible. "My name is Issei. The armor is categorized under a general term, 'Chakra Armor'. It is modeled after an invention created hundreds of years ago in the Land of Snow, in the now-destroyed village of Yukigakure no Sato. The armor that you're looking at now was created by yours truly, using ancient blueprints, help from local blacksmiths, and lots of time and energy. It turned out better than I could have imagined, so if you're interested, you can certainly get a piece for yourself." He finished sorting the robes and the masks and faced Kuno again, the sun behind him beating down on his back and bringing a single drop of sweat down his face. He brushed it away and pushed his hair back. "The catch is, it's not for sale. It's a gift I offer to people who join my organization, Ninshiki. I started Ninshiki in hopes of finding and restoring villages like Yukigakure, villages who have been long-lost, war-torn, or destroyed by natural disasters, and preserving their culture, technology, and place in the world. Chakra armor is just one example of something I hope to find during Ninshiki's journey. As for Yukigakure itself, it is our first target as a group; it was completely erased by a man named Hao, the same man who attacked my home, Kirigakure no Sato, and left it in a state of utter ruin. An entire village full of people, gone, killed off. I don't think that that's okay, and I want to do my part to make things...right again." Saying all of this out loud, he realized how ridiculous it might have sounded, but he hoped that his new acquaintance would empathize with him and want to join the cause.

Kuno raised an eyebrow as the man offered to have the young Uchiha try it for himself. He had no idea how it worked, or what exactly it would do, but despite that he had a strong urge to take the man up on his offer. After all, curiosity had always been one of Kuno’s weaknesses. Nodding to the man as he stood up and gestured to all of the pieces of armour, each of them with supposedly similar properties. He was about to reach for one of each piece, a vest, shoulder guard, and gauntlet until the stranger continued. "You can take any of these. A chest, a shoulder piece, or a hand piece. All of them have the same effect, just different forms. Once you pick out the one you like, feel free to put it on and then I'll show you what it's capable of."

Kuno nodded slowly, “Alright, I’ll bite, but what kind of armour do you only need one piece of?” he asked with a slight chuckle. Without wasting any more time, Kuno began to browse over the plethora of armour pieces before him before finally settling on a gauntlet of sorts. In reality, it was not much of a gauntlet, but more of a metal brace that attached to his left forearm. In the center of the forearm on the outside of the bracer-like equipment, was a small, deep red, half sphere that was about an inch and a half in diameter that protruded from the bracer about half of an inch. Similarly, at the end of the bracer at the wrist and on the inside, there was a small extension made out of tubing fastened to metal that set a similar half sphere into the palm of Kuno’s hand.  While he attached it to his forearm he listened to the man’s speech. He introduced himself and Issei and explained that the armour that he was presenting was, in fact, Chakra Armour. An invention from centuries past and newly revived by the man standing before him now. Kuno slowly nodded as the man continued his tale.

"The catch is, it's not for sale. It's a gift I offer to people who join my organization, Ninshiki. I started Ninshiki in hopes of finding and restoring villages like Yukigakure, villages who have been long-lost, war-torn, or destroyed by natural disasters, and preserving their culture, technology, and place in the world. Chakra armor is just one example of something I hope to find during Ninshiki's journey. As for Yukigakure itself, it is our first target as a group; it was completely erased by a man named Hao, the same man who attacked my home, Kirigakure no Sato, and left it in a state of utter ruin. An entire village full of people, gone, killed off. I don't think that that's okay, and I want to do my part to make things...right again." Kuno could not stop himself from inhaling sharply at the mention of the name Hao. He knew exactly who Issei was talking about, and it made him shiver slightly despite the heat of the day. Hao Uchiha, a destroyer of nations, and former clansmen. Kuno had heard the tales of this man, and was inspired by those stories; not to follow in the legendary Uchiha’s footsteps, but to make people forget them. He was one of the Uchiha that gave his clan an awful name and went against everything that Kuno wanted to prove the members of his clan could be.

Kuno had known about Hao’s attack on Kirigakure no Sato all those years ago, but he was not aware that the man had destroyed other villages, completely wiping them off of the map in the case of this mystery village, Yukigakure from the Land of Snow. Despite already being convinced that joining Issei’s group, Ninshiki, would be worthwhile if only to show him that not all Uchiha were monsters, he still had some reservation. One of which was attached to his arm. He had to know if this gentleman, despite all of his flair and supposed genius, was crazy or not. And so he would put the armour to the test. Nodding, he addressed the man with a smile. “It’s good to meet you Issei, my name is Kuno, and I am all too aware of the destruction wrought on your home by Hao. You see, I am also an Uchiha myself. But unlike him, I tend to agree with your view of things. I too believe that it isn’t right for a village to be wiped out, and so I am inclined to join this…group of yours. But first,” he raised his hand and showed off the bracer that he had picked up. “Why don’t you show me how this thing works? I’m interested to see if it is as effective as you’ve made it out to be. After you show me that, well, then we can discuss my potential membership.”

He smiled still, stepping back from the man and readying himself. “Alright so…what do I do now?”

WC:870+834=1704

This teenager seemed skeptical, and he looked at Issei and chuckled back. "What kind of armor do you only need one piece of?" It was a good point. Issei let out an "ahhh" and looked down, his hands on his hips. "You got me there. It doesn't quite function like normal armor, but, we'll get to that." The man had chosen an arm piece, one of Issei's gauntlet variants, and of course it was a red one that looked to match the highlights in his hair when he equipped it. He said his name was Kuno and explained that he knew exactly who Issei was talking about, which made Issei raise an eyebrow. Sure, the disasters had only occurred a few years back, but he wasn't quite sure how alerted those outside of Kirigakure had been to its perpetrator, nor its aftermath. This was clarified when Kuno said that he himself was an Uchiha, just like Hao had been, and he wanted to clear the Uchiha name, so to speak. Issei couldn't help but think of Teru back in Kirigakure, and it excited him, though he tried not to show it outwardly. Two Uchiha in Ninshiki? Mind boggling potential, and good timing considering Issei couldn't remember ever even meeting an Uchiha before any of this. Kuno seemed interested in joining, but he wanted to see what the armor would do before anything.

"Why don't you show me how this thing works?" Issei nodded and walked over to Kuno, adjusting the armor on his arm slightly, though he had put it on correctly and everything seemed operational. A single red light on it started to glow, signaling that it could detect Kuno's chakra system and was ready to interact with it in order to protect him. "Alright so...what do I do now?" Issei started to explain carefully, in hopes that this would go smoothly.

"So, Chakra Armor works to defend you from jutsu by absorbing the chakra from them and storing it in here," he pointed to the small chamber that looked like an orb closer to Kuno's elbow. "In order to work, you will need to focus some of your chakra into the arm that the armor is equipped on, and then once an incoming jutsu is close enough to you, the chakra armor will do the rest of the work, using your chakra as a kind of catalyst to react with the other jutsu, dismantle it, and absorb it, though once this is finished the chakra absorbed will fade away over a few minutes. The armor often responds to your chakra system and other nearby chakras with the light there, so if it is glowing, that means that it is working properly." Issei stepped out from underneath the tent and walked about 5 meters away, giving Kuno enough space to react quickly. The crowd moved around Issei when they saw that he had a Kirigakure headband and he was making hand seals, likely because they were frightened. He didn't bother trying to explain himself or even turn around to acknowledge them, instead focusing on the jutsu. "Okay, I'm going to attack you. Hold the armor out in front of you and use your chakra with it and it will do its job to protect you. Get ready."

Issei finished preparing hand seals and pointed his left hand at Kuno, with his index and middle finger aimed forward, his ring and pinky folded into his palm, and his thumb pointed up, making a "gun". He bent his thumb to pull the "trigger" and launched 5 bullets made of bone, purposely moving slower than they usually did when he used the jutsu, at about 10 m/s. Still, considering how near he was to Kuno, Kuno would have very little time to react, so he would have to rely completely on the armor absorbing the bullets to avoid getting hit. Issei was not concerned, though; Kuno was an Uchiha, after all, and he had faith in his armor as well.

185/200:

The young Uchiha nodded slowly as the older man explained the function of the bracer that Kuno had donned. It seemed simple enough; just make sure the red light on his palm was on and then it should be good to go. As the man stepped away, Kuno took a closer look at the bracer he now wore to try to understand the inner workings of the chakra armor. He had never been exposed to anything like it before, and he was interested to see how it worked in practice. The single tube that went to the half sphere in his palm joined up with a multitude of other tubes on the underside of Kuno’s forearm, all of them weaving and twisting in intricate patters that eventually found them connected to the top part of the bracer. It was here that the tubing disappeared and the only visible component was the red half sphere on the bracer. Kuno nodded his approval to the craftsmanship of it. At the very least, it looked pretty cool.

His musings were interrupted by the voice of Issei that surprised Kuno to the point where he almost missed what he was saying. "Okay, I'm going to attack you. Hold the armor out in front of you and use your chakra it and it will do its job to protect you. Get ready." Kuno looked up in an instant, surprise clearly registered on his face as he saw the man complete a series of hand seals before pointing his index and middle finger into a gun shape. “Wait wait wait what do you mean? How do I-“ but it was too late. Before he had a chance to confirm anything the five bullets made of bone were sent flying toward the young Uchiha. He had never seen any sort of jutsu like that before, and that alone caused him to be more alarmed than normal. Reacting instinctively, he raised his hand just like Issei had told him to do, and channel his chakra into the piece of the armour on his palm. This had better work!

There was a brief flash of a dark red light that emanated from the gauntlet. It was not blinding by any means, but it was bright enough that the bystanders who had gathered around all reacted by covering their eyes. Kuno, on the other hand, did not. He watched I all, ready to feel the bits of bone piercing his skin. But instead, he saw something that blew his mind. It all happened very quickly, but what the young Uchiha was able to understand was that when the flash occurred, the chakra from the bones had been transferred out of the jutsu and into the focus in his palm. In that same instant, the bone, now without any chakra to propel it forward or give it form, turned to ash in the blink of an eye. Nothing had hit Kuno, and as he glanced down at the bracer in awe, he saw the small receptacle on the top of the bracer glow red slightly, before slowly fading away.

Kuno slowly raised his eyes to meet the gaze of Issei, his mouth slightly agape. “I uh…how did…that was…” He stammered for a moment, slowly standing back up to his straight posture before closing his mouth and letting it form into a smile. He stepped forward so that he was standing close enough to the man that it was not uncomfortable, but so that they could talk without the bystanders overhearing. Clearing his throat and began to express a more thought out response. “Issei, I have to admit, between the craftsmanship and the effectiveness of this weapon, I am extremely impressed. This is an immensely useful piece of equipment that I certainly would not mind adding to my arsenal.” He began to pace back and fourth as he continued his explanation. “On top of that, and more importantly, I truly believe in your cause, and I think that helping these foreign and extinct lands to recover would be an incredible undertaking that would not only be good for the world as a whole, but also as a personal challenge.”

He paused for a moment to collect his thoughts, running his right hand through his dark hair and letting out a sigh. “My only concern is my current circumstances. Right now I have a specific mission that I am to complete at the behest of the Kazekage herself, and in order to do that, I need to be here, In Suna and the Land of Wind. So as much as I would love to embark on this journey of discovery with you right now, I can’t at the moment without abandoning my village, which is something I will not do. So, Mr. Issei, the choice is yours. If you are alright with having some eyes and ears in Suna for a time until such a time when I can travel from my home without it being desertion, then I would be happy to join you.” He stopped pacing and extended his right hand toward the man, a smile still on his face. “I am ready to fix what my ancestors destroyed. Will you let me help you?”

WC:879+1704=2583

Kuno braced himself for impact, almost certain that the bullets were going to hit him, but the chakra armor took what chakra it needed from him and did the rest itself. A flash of light bright enough to practically outshine the sun flashed for just a moment, painting the scene red and making everyone cover their eyes. Issei looked at the light head-on, smiling at the excellency of his craft and his creation. Issei's digital shrapnel, faster than they could move, had the energy sucked out of them, slowing them down immensely until they started to fall apart in mid-air. They were reduced to dust that scattered into the sands and was lost to the wind. Kuno's surprise was a relief to Issei, because he knew that would give him an advantage in recruiting him. But what Issei was really focused on was how he could improve the armor, make it even better than it already was. Such a tool had amazing value and potential.

“I uh…how did…that was…” Issei walked back over to Kuno and smiled. "It's quite ingenious! The people of Yukigakure had one of the most isolated and technologically advanced societies in history." Kuno agreed, saying that he was thoroughly impressed and he thought that Issei's cause would be good for the world and for Kuno too, for the sake of a good challenge, which Issei thought was an interesting sentiment. He nodded, about to chime in before Kuno added one more thing. He said this, in his current circumstances, he couldn't leave the village because he had a responsibility to the Kazekage to do a certain mission. Issei was an understanding person; if Ayakashi were to assign him on a personal mission, he would do the same thing as Kuno and stay in Kirigakure to help the village, no matter what, so he wasn't going to force Kuno to do anything. Besides, as Kuno put it, if Kuno stayed and joined Ninshiki anyway then they would have "eyes and ears" in Sunagakure, which was undoubtedly helpful.

“I am ready to fix what my ancestors destroyed. Will you let me help you?” Issei could hardly contain his excitement. "Of course! You don't need to leave Suna, and if I ever need you, I'll send word. I would be happy to have you, and in fact, we have another Uchiha in our ranks, back in Kirigakure. Her name is Teru. You'll meet her one day, and the rest of us. We're a diverse bunch of characters." He felt compelled to hug Kuno and jump up and down triumphantly but settled with a pat on the shoulder. "That armor is officially yours. Hope it's comfortable. And while you're at it, take a set of these robes and a mask. The mask functions as an oxygen mask too, so if you wear it, you can breathe underwater, though I don't know how useful that will be in the middle of a huge desert." Issei picked up the robes and mask and handed them to Kuno politely. "Also, I'm gonna need some information about ya. Where I can find you here, your rank in this village, full name, though I'm assuming it's Kuno Uchiha. It'll help me keep in contact." He cradled the outfit in one hand and used the other to pull a pen and notepaper out from his pocket and offer it to Kuno too.

These are yours now! Don't forget to add them to your locker:

Kuno thought that his new comrade was going to explode with joy. He could see the expression on the man’s face change from one of pride in his craft to one of excitement that Kuno had agreed to join the ranks of Ninshiki. He mentioned that the group consisted of a diverse group of people, another of which was an Uchiha like himself. Kuno nodded that that, wondering if she felt the same responsibility that he did regarding the cleansing of the Uchiha name from its tainted history. According to Issei, they would meet one day. Kuno hoped that was true. He had only met one other member of his clan other than his immediate family members, and thus far his interactions with him had been purely professional. The young Uchiha hoped that perhaps in a group that was dedicated to something like this, he could possibly become a friend to this other Uchiha. The travel times would certainly be long when they would finally set off together, so that might be the perfect opportunity to become more than just a team, and learn to be comrades instead. There was an important difference, and Kuno hoped that his future with Ninshiki would allow for that.

With that, the older man presented him with the robes and a mask that signified his membership within the group, which Kuno Happily accepted. Throwing the one sleeved robe on, the young Uchiha was surprised at how warm it felt, but also at how the breeze flowed through it enough hat e would not die wearing it in the extreme heat of the Land of wind. Furthermore, the oxygen mask that he was presented with was a useful tool for his arsenal. Every moment that passed, the nineteen year old was even happier with his decision to join Issei on his journey. Finally, Kuno accepted the pen and notepaper, on which he rote his address, as well as his name as ninja rank. “Ya that’s right. Kuno Uchiha, a chuunin of the Village Hidden in the Sands. Thank you for this opportunity to right the wrongs that Hao inflicted on the world. Hopefully, together we can bring back those long lost cultures.”

With that, he began to step back from the man, a smile still on his face. “Please keep in contact, as I am really looking forward to being a part of this expedition, and when it does happen, I want to be there! But for now, I really do need to get back to my duties here in the village. I’ll wear this robe proudly Issei! You can count on it.” Spinning around quickly, his new, one sleeved robe flourishing behind him, Kuno made his way back to his home to change into his new attire for whatever upcoming mission he had. Waving over his shoulder, he bid his new friend a fond farewell before sprinting off towards home.

Looks like that trip to the Bazaar was exactly what I needed…

[Exit Thread]

WC:501+2583=3084

Training

Perception from C-1 to C-3 (1300/1300)

B-Rank Jutsu: Fire Style: Great Dragon Flame (火遁・豪龍火の術 ~ Katon: Goryūka no Jutsu) (1500/1500)

Unused WC:284

OOC:

Kuno happily accepted his new wares, likely with a heart full of excitement and curiosity. He also filled out his information for Issei and confirmed his name as Kuno Uchiha, and he disclosed the fact that he was a Chuunin within Sunagakure. Issei nodded, taking back the pen and paper and tucking them away in his pocket. From there, he went to lean against the barrel again, satisfied with his newest recruit. Kuno started to take his leave, insisting that Issei keep in contact because he didn't want to miss anything that Ninshiki would be doing anytime soon. His assurance to Issei that once his duties that bound him to Sunagakure no Sato were complete, he would be dedicated to Ninshiki and able to travel as necessary meant the world to Issei, as he truly felt with every new event that his group was coming together and they would be a force to be reckoned with. But beyond all of that lied the civilizations they would rebuild, the bonds they would create, and the pursuit of knowledge that most in the modern shinobi world lacked passion for. Kuno left, disappearing back into the crowds as quickly as he had come, but with new purpose and new armor to wear both as a testament to his group's power and as something to act as his guardian angel in his future battles. Issei genuinely hoped that the young Uchiha would succeed in his mission for the Kazekage, if not for the village's nor Ninshiki's sake, then for Kuno's own sake.

Issei watched the sun fall slowly from the sky until it was gone and the arid sands were cold and the crowds had left, too. Others had come by throughout the day and inquired about Ninshiki, which helped him get the word out, and he showed a few younger prospects the armor and the masks since they were interested, but no one was as eager to join up or as capable as Kuno had been, and thus no other members joined that day. It was still a victory for Issei, in the end, because as attention came to him and his cause, he was becoming stronger in a social sense regardless of how many people actually were a part of Ninshiki. He retired for the night, packing everything that was left and heading to the nearest inn to rest. Once he was checked in and gone upstairs, he laid in his bed and stared out the window at the hundreds of stars in the black sky outside. Plenty more stars visible there in Kaze no Kuni than there were in Mizu no Kuni, even out in the marshes and the forests. He knew that he would need to enjoy himself while he was here, as this wasn't just a recruitment mission for Ninshiki, but it was a vacation, since it was his first time outside of Kirigakure since his last trip to Iwagakure nearly a year prior. He fell asleep looking forward to what was to come.


[ Exit Thread ]

Training: