Shujin had found that while waiting for his puppet to be completed in the shop which could take some time he needed to take some lower ranking observation and collection missions in order to gain some income. It was bothersome and low paying but to hell with it. He would manage to do it easily for the time being and fill his pockets enough to handle the rent in his new apartment. Sure it was a one bedroom but he didn't like other people anyway. Besides that it was low key enough not to attract attention to him from the village itself, cheap and near a food mart. He didn't know anyone but the land lady so far but she eyed him like she expected him to start a fire in her apartment building. He supposed with him filling out the application and putting his job under D rank village nin he was bound to have that suspicion cast on him. Rank amateurs had been known to throw around jutsu aimlessly from time to time and cause collateral damage. Or lose control of their chakra early on and cause damage to their surroundings. For him however precision was everything. As it should be for a puppeteer.

Not that there were many infamous or famous puppeteer masters around anymore. Something suna was famous for and at the same time had a incline for anyone reaching for such heights. The current Kage was rumored to be on the level with her abilities but Shujin left that to rumor and conjecture. A Kage was expected to be great. Besides that wasn't his goal to begin with. Not becoming the next Kazekage anyway. He was a shinobi for hire. Money meant everything and while status was great he felt a Kage was limited from actually reaching for the real pay outs. If anything the criminal body would actively avoid any interaction with the villages most powerful shinobi in fear that she might retaliate against them. If nothing else his position as an unknown shinobi served him better for the time being. Giving him a chance to get in the door if they thought they could handle him if he knew too much anyway. However that was why he was on the first of the two missions today. Gathering supplies. It wasn't the one that interested him but it paid well enough. That and he knew just where to start looking.

410

Still Shujin would prepare himself for heading outside the walls to hunt for meat. The village itself didn't have much farmland or natural resources. Luckily it was founded with a natural underground water source that provided all they needed but when it came to food they relied greatly on trade and whatever they could harvest from the surrounding area's. Along with that certain herbs only grew in the climate they were in. It was a good thing for him because he knew where he could find both a herd of goats and some of the designated herbs on the list. Both meat and medicine. Two things the village needed. Still he would set the list down and loosen his tie before tightening the headband around his wrist. His hand would reach out to touch the weapons pouch on his right thigh. Over the Cargo pants. He felt like he was just doing busy work but that would do for the time being. With a sigh he would pick up the list with the images of what to look for. Folding it and slipping it into his pocket. His hand would run through his hair before he was resigned to actually doing this.

Shujin would idly slip on his long blue coat and place the hood over his head before collecting his house keys. It was quiet in the early morning but that was fine. He wasn't interested in running into anyone that might want to invite him over for coffee sometime. Still he might be averse to human interaction but he didn't mind making money. So he would move out of his apartments attempting to keep his boots from making much noise. Locking his door before shoving his hands in his coat pockets and turning down the hallway. He wasn't carrying a puppet anyway so he didn't need to worry about that. He managed to even make it out of the complex before he saw another soul. A couple of students rushing off to school. They were early so the rushing wasn't required but he didn't mind since they were just another annoyance. Still they were the only ones he ran into before reaching the village gates heading north of the village towards the hills. Passing his identification papers and mission papers to the gate guard and waiting for them to pass their evaluation. With that done he pocketed it all again into his inner pocket. Moving at a relaxed pace through the gates and towards the cliff sides. The goats there were muscular and hard to chew but it was still something to eat. He could drag two of them back on one of the carts left around the area for that specific purpose. The herbs would normally be difficult to reach but with his strings it was really a thing of simplicity. He just needed to spot them from the ground and send the strings out to collect. The goats he would have to attack their vitals at a range.

920

Either way Shujin was well on his way out of the village now. His pace carrying him towards the cliff sides leading along the market path towards the village. A defense point that had been used as an effective choke point for enemies to have to filter through with high cliff sides on either side of the road. Goats often wandered in and gradually made their way up the sides. Shujin on the other hand was walking up towards the left side and gradually his path was taking him the simpler route. Uphill gradually as he mad his way away from the road. Up to the top of the cliffs and looking around as he did. Here and there was shade where certain herbs were growing next to pooled up water left over from the rains. If not for the snakes and scorpions as well as spiders and other wildlife up there it would be an excellent camping spot. Couldn't be seen from the road but could peak over at any disturbance with an abundance of natural resources. That was perhaps why he didn't wish to be here long. If there were criminals hiding they could be up there. Not exactly his cup of tea for the afternoon. So as soon as he had collected a good few handful of the listed herbs and rolled them in paper. Keeping them separated and preserved.

So he quickly and quietly made his way to the side and listened. Moving along the edge until he heard it. A sound like hooves scraping on rock. Two goats were struggling to make their way up the sheer cliff wall. Stupid beasts could have just taken the path he had but they had to struggle along. They weren't fat exactly but at least they were adults. So he would take a breath and draw out two Senbon. Waiting until they were a fair distance up and near the top. A simple waiting game really. Seeing if they would make it up on their own. The Senbon were not meant to kill. Just throw them off balance. The fall would finish the rest for him. With that in mind he took aim and unleashed one and then the other. Two Senbon flying through the air with a slight whistle. The first hit one in the neck and it screamed but the second was less accurate. Hitting the goat in the leg. Still it caused both of them to fall so he sighed and followed after carefully. Making his way down and loading the goats into an abandoned cart. With that done he made his way back to turn the supplies in at the gate.

1370/1350 double mission reward
Exit thread