Mission name: Secure Supply Lines.
Mission rank: B-rank.
Objective: Paths used by the army for relief efforts are constantly under attack, defend them.
Location: Border camps.
Reward: 500 ryo + 3 EP
Mission Description: Escort high risk cargo or intercept bandit raids on supply lines into Suna.
Development References: What Lies Beneath Event.
Mission Details: Often raided, supply routes are a target for rogues and bandits who seek fortune by exploiting the relief effort. Shinobi can intercept the bandits or escort army cargo and wait, either way they will encounter a B-ranked bandit leading shinobi with Wind and Fire and all B-rank or lower library techniques for his elements. He will be accompanied by at least ten C-ranked bandits, thieves or similar and they should either be killed or forced to retreat.

Verdandi was commissioned for her first B-Rank assignment on her own. Due to her recent promotion she was yet still well green to this field and was once more allowed to take a small squad of soldiers with her. Her first task was given by the Konoha Administration. Hence her squad of soldiers was mostly consistent of Leaf Soldiers. Verd found herself rather fond of their persona compared to the rather aggressive bunch she was working with before. Moving her way through the camps to prepare her gear she watched how the convoy she was supposed to protect was gathering before the camp. A multitude of pack animals were loaded with supplies. Some carts that could be pulled would suffice for the people that were transported while quite a few camel riders, security officers and pathfinders were joining the team.

Verdandi stepped past the camp into the brightness of the day. She found herself quickly in need to conjure her own heat protection in order to keep herself from sweating. Slowly activating the Hyouton nature within herself. Verdandi was quite fond of how her pet was growing into the whole situation. Avalanche marched along way the convoy as it left its premises off and away from the compound. The soldiers surrounded the caravan and kept their eyes wide open. Verd moved from wagon to wagon in order to keep herself busy with idle conversation whenever she realized that the soldiers were taking fine turns on keeping their eyes open and scouting for any weird activity that might be incoming.

They passed the first two oasis's with absolutely no problems or interruptions. The more time she spent with them including the mission supervisor whom was a simple civilian of sorts, the more she was aware why this was all flagged as a higher ranked mission. Considering that the goods they were transporting were supposedly just supplies. Verd started to see the bigger picture as the supplies themselves were probably needed, but yet beneath them were important items hidden. Treasures and experimental products, various intel hidden in encoded scrolls. They were supposed to keep things on a low profile in order to not attract any heat but Verdandi's presence was but a mere reminder that they had very high concerns about it potentially being ambushed anyway.

And they were not wrong. At the horizon, yet still out of reach for Verdandi, stood a tall man with an eye patch. His squad of about a dozen lowly C-Ranks was fletching their weapons. He himself having a firm grip over his spear as his katon loaded senses were ready to burn something down. Verdandi was yet to be made aware of their coming. But they weren't going to do it gently. If they wanted to ambush them they would do so at night. Sundown was approaching. The caravan moved to it's last oasis waypoint and set up camp. Various fires would be lit around the cargo carts. The cattle would be secured in one of the larger tents. The tents for the caravan people would be set up last and on demand as needed to properly house everyone for the night. Verdandi was not on shift for guard duty but the smell in the air was giving her the chills. She could literally feel something evil approaching but there was nothing but her belly cramps to support her theory.

During the night, the enemy soldiers would slowly sneak up upon the camp. The patrolling soldiers far outside would be quickly dealt with, put unconscious as it seemed evident that they weren't interested in killing them just yet. Seeing how they were quickly moving forward. Verdandi would soon recognize something was amiss. Creating a shadow doppelganger in her place as she used obfuscate, the silhouette technique, to vanish into the intensely large shadows of the night. Making use of the shadows. She would scout the enemies approaching she had no chances to tell what exactly was going on or how many were incoming. She could see three of them. The doppelganger slowly walked to the centre of the camp.

Verdandi quickly tried to isolate her first target. Just as he was about to knock down a leaf soldier. She would stick her blade out and slice her way down his back harshly. Her palm running forth to cup his mouth and silence him. Before she worked her blade through his throat and finished him off. The second one was not far away. He just hit one of the guards on the head. Verdandi was too late to keep him away from his task. Once at his location her palm would touch his neck. His body would slowly freeze within the simple application of the ice prison technique. The ice grave would commence to be his undoing. As she could see one of them actually pulling a blade. She quickly ran in. Slicing her sword over his wrist to make his hand bleed before he could hit the Konoha soldier.

Once his scream echoed into the night. The clone knew it was time to act. Quickly smashing a nearby hammer to the bell. Alarming the rest of the camp as fires, torches would have lit up all around. However, the assaulters were still at advantage. The spear of the leader would stir itself past the chest of a soldier. Screams would turn louder. A plenty amount of caravan security would be quickly taken out, some even killed within the process. But the counter attack would wait much longer. The soldiers that had remained within their tents stormed out. Verdandi stuck her blade into the heart of the guy whose hand she had already set to bleed. Three down. She needed to get on top of this. Her clone quickly moved in on her own. Seeing a group of three attackers moving in her way.

The clone activated the chakra to raise a myriad of massive ice spears from the ground. Under the practice of the Certain-Kill Ice Spears Technique. The frost would enter a radius of 15 meters where cleverly choosing the epicentre of the three attackers. Watching how the spikes quickly speared from the ground below and buried themselves into the flesh of their targets. Mean loud screams would echo into the lands once again. The way the spears hit them was cruel. Buried in their abdomen, face, guts spilling out and blood covering the piles quickly. Six down. The numbers of Konoha soldiers however, were also dropping by the minute. Especially the leader was not going to stop, having already killed at least four soldiers as well.

Verdandi sped with her main body to charge the seemingly powerful monster. Being greeted by a large fireball technique that was shot her way. Verd would summon the large masses of the archerfish technique to swallow it. The 20 cubic meter large dome of water would splash in his face. Verd would proceed to the use of the Cold-steam Cut technique. The ice wave expanding from her body would hit the bandit in his face. Freezing the water that was already clinging to him and setting his skin ablaze by frostbite.

While the leader screamed in torture. Verdandi clone jumped forth to kick the next guy she could see in the back. Under the use of simple ice projectiles, Shards of Winter Technique and Twin Killing Icicles, she would send the ice flying and quickly put holes and painful spikes into the back of her new targets. However, as they didn't kill them right away, the clone would move in to slice her way elegantly past their throats. Eight down. Potentially four more to go as it seemed. Two of them were directly charging the clone. Giving Verdandi the means to meet and greet them as requested. Her blade colliding with the first as a spin-around kick buried itself into the stomach of the second one.

The leader was a sight to behold second degree frostbite burns layered his skin. He was looking more like a monster, or a zombie at that, rather than a human being anymore. But he stood tall and made sure that he wasn't going to be defeated like that just yet. Verdandi moved in to meet his impressive spear with her blade. While they collided, he'd cast the Endan fire technique trying to spit it straight in Verdandi's face. But Verd raised her Ice Armor and watched the flames burn against her and slightly melt but nut really doing much damage. In return she'd punch him in the guts hard for being such a pretentious prick.

The doppelganger had seen that the first lot didn't really have much to defend against the ice spears. Out of chakra for another one of the kind, it instead casted the simple Ice Spears technique. Making sure another number of spikes would raise from the ground. They would be able to pierce the enemies to death. But as the ran eventually it'd impale their feet from below. Screaming loud as they had to pull their impaled feet and legs off the spikes. Leaving them to bleed and unable to walk as the clone walked in. Layering her own blade with the Frozen Touch technique to slowly coat an insanely cold freeze onto it. Then proceeding to slice her way past the two. Leaving them with wide open wounds on their chest as the frost burn would do the rest of the job and slowly torture them to their demise.

Ten down, two more were left. The clone found it's way to one of the large tents. Finding the remaining soldiers. At least five Konoha security men were already dead. Their blood piling up nasty. Spilling out and about onto the floor of the tent. One of the men had a civilian girl, one of the cattle caretakers in his grip. Holding her hands behind her back as his blade was lingering in front of her throat, threatening the Verdandi clone that, if she would try anything stupid. The girl would pay the ultimate prize for it. Neither of them knew what was going on. So, the clone would take her weapon and neatly stuff it into the sand beside her. The real Verdandi, having kicked her opponent to the side. Shortly sent the chakra preparation for the replacement jutsu into the blade of her clone.

While the clone was kneeling ready to take its punishment and receive its slaughter. Verd's fight with the leader would intensify. Casting the Giant Flame Bullet and Great Dragon Flame techniques shortly in a row. Intending to utterly burn down the ice princess for good. But his intentions were short lived. Verdandi's Sculpture Technique would be placed to the ground. Leaving an icy statue in her stead for a moment. Soaking the first technique as the remained of her ice armour just swallowed the second. As she was basically walking through his fire. Her blade sliced down over his chest, giving the man a massive bleeding wound. But the bastard simply didn't intend to die.

Time would become of essence. She couldn't simply let her clone die without taking care of the hostage. So just a mere second before the blade would hit the clone. Verdandi activated the replacement technique and swap spots with the blade of her clone. Instantly shoving her own into the belly of the attacker. As the clone caste the simple ice prison to slowly engulf, both hostage and the criminal. Quickly enough so that he wasn't able to slit her throat just yet. Verd would proceed to pull her blade from her target. Stuffing it back into his heart to deliver the final blow. Eventually running back to see two of the Konoha soldiers that were bullying the leader with their swords.

Just as he was about to activate a sudden wind technique, Verdandi would copy him the very same way. The gale palm colliding in between them and making an insane mess of the place. Tossing the Konoha soldiers aside and pushing the enemy leader once more against the back of the cart behind him. He didn't look like he could take much more. It was about to become his end. He was bleeding. His skin burned by frost. His palms hurt by his own attacks. Verd would however give him the last honour she could think of. With the remainder of her chakra, she'd blow a Vacuum Wave into his face. The wind blade cutting his throat. Following up and stuffing her blade deep into his chest. Watching him slowly sink to the ground. He was dead. At last. A true monster at that... soaking an intense amount of damage.

Verd was exhausted. The whole caravan was a battlefield. The soldiers would quickly move on to collect the corpses of enemies and their own alike. Piling up the enemies and quickly burning the lot of them. While bandaging up the B-Ranked enemy to eventually bring him back to the Konoha camp. Maybe one of the ANBU would find interest in his corpse. As they loaded up to relocate. In case of yet another attack. Most of the soldiers were busy burying their own men. The enemies were simply burned on a pile. No honour or respect would be given to them. Their own kin however. Deserved a proper burial at least… and their tags to be returned to the administration.

Verd went into the tent of the kidnapping slowly melting her ice to let the woman go free and then half-way melting the ice to punch the last enemy into knockout. His armor and weapons would be stripped. His fingers mangled to the point he wouldn't be able to use jutsu. His arms chained on his back. His mouth gagged. His eyes blindfolded and his almost naked body tossed into a cage. He was a prisoner now. No compromises. In Kiri he would be quickly dealt with. But in Konoha they would see to it that he might have important information to be gathered from. Under torture of course. Verdandi wasn't necessarily sure which way was to be more humane. A swift death or a slow and antagonizing torture that might either end in death or life in prison.

As they were finished with their tasks. Morning sun was raising on the horizon. It was time to move on. Many didn't have the proper sleep this night. Many were shaken. Verdandi dispersed her clone and jumped on the back of a cart. She would have the luxury to take a short nap. But she would be paranoid now. Wondering if a second wave of attackers would follow. But the convoy made it soon safely to it's intended destination.

Verdandi would explain the situation at hand. Handing over the high-risk cargo. Retrieving their gratitude and her payment. The Konoha outpost was satisfied. Verdandi herself however was not. Many lives were lost that night. If she wouldn't have been alone maybe some of the men could have been saved. But alas. There was no going back to fix it anymore and her next task was already waiting for her.

[EXIT]


2550 wc

WC Usage: