Mission name: Eradicate the smugglers (Repeatable)
Mission rank: B
Objective: “With the new customs protocols, and the limited entry into the country, smugglers trade have been spotted making illegal ports across kiri… this presents an opportunity. Kill the smugglers, secure the goods.”
Location: Kiri
Reward: 500 ryo
Mission description: Small smuggler’s ships have been trying to slip in under our noses. Root them out, kill their captain and secure their illegal weapons/ cargo for kiri. They will resist.
Mission details: The ninja will find a small unmarked vessel with ten vanguard men who will be trying to look inconspicuous. Kill them. They have C rank Katon, ninjutsu and C rank Bukijutsu, with C rank katana and broadswords.

NPC:

The rain drizzled on the Land of the Mist as Yoshito took strides to reach the Shoreside of his village. The mission was to weed out some bad eggs taking advantage of the village's new import-export system, what cruel people would attempt to profit off of something that should rake in a few extra bucks for the village that they call home. What scum. As each step landed atop the cement beneath him the young man's head moved from one side to the other scanning the environment, this place had been here since long before he and his family entered it yet he had never been here before. The salty smell of the ocean wafted in the air, one could notice the waves overflowing the port next to him. Off on the other side were small shops and even a small town in and of itself, that was strange, a small town within the village. Drawing from past experience, he had never seen that kind of thing before and it stood out more than most things he noticed at the Shoreside.

Yoshito stopped at the first ship he saw moored at the dock nearest to his location, he saw someone loading some crates into the stern. The young man proceeded into asking the man a few questions about the harbor and things he may have seen, ending effectively with, "You see anything suspicious?" to which the man replied with a simple no, he couldn't help Yoshito at all. That was odd, he just assumed that most people here spent all their time here and didn't leave the bay which was a silly thing to assume knowing they import and export goods for their village or the town on most likely a daily basis. Yoshito scratched his head, "Well, thanks anyways mister. he continued on his walk down the bay coming across another ship seemingly filled to the brim with various items such as ninja tools and things of the like.

Yoshito halted his strides and walked down the dock to notice that no one was on the dock itself. Yoshito simply assumed that the crew was already aboard the ship and that he couldn't question anyone but at the same moment his thought left his mind, a man exited the stern and greeted the young genin with a smile, attempting to cover his body with his arm above his head from the rain as if he wasn't from Kirigakure. Yoshito asked the man about his mission, same line of questioning as before only this time he would ask what it was they were harboring within the bilge of the ship. It must have been full because when he walked along the dock he could see more crates stacked full without even so much as a lid on top of the exposed crate. The man was hesitant answering the questions Yoshito had set up for him but rather taking it any further, Yoshito played it safe and tossed his hands in an upright position, palms outward, in front of his chest. "Oh, okay sir, be safe out there. I hear it's rough waters for a while."

Yoshito turned his back to the man as he walked away back onto the bay. The sound he heard could only be described as the man struggling to lift the crate by himself. Yoshito turned back to the man rushing forward offering to lend a hand with loading the supplies. To his offering, however, Yoshito was met with a respectful yet rushed decline. The look of such a decline was suspicious indeed, although he didn't want to tip off the man to his suspicions so he simply nodded and turned back to the bay once more. Yoshito had a partner for this mission, a man named Chigetsu Hozuki. He heard of the clan but had not known much of their abilities, he just may have the opportunity to learn what he was capable of during this mission. These were, afterall, pirates, and of Kirigakure nonetheless.

With his suspicions set in place, his mind racing, and the rain dropping on his body, Yoshito stood at the edge of the bay where it and the dock met. On this day Yoshito would be wearing a standard-issue flak jacket rather than his normal garb. Under the flak jacket Yoshito had a black undershirt, by this time soaked from the rain that pours so often within Kirigakure. His headband rested just above his eyebrows, this look was far off from his normal attire which was a blue robe but this day was different, it was his first B-Rank mission and so the ones who gave him the mission wanted him to be as safe as possible, even though he would be accompanied by Special Jounin. Nonetheless, Yoshito stood where he stood awaiting the arrival of his master so to speak for the mission.

The rain that drizzled down upon the concrete infrastructure of Kirigakure no Sato created a pleasant scent that wafted through the city. Together with the everpresent mist that clouded the Kirigakure landscape, it created a beautiful atmosphere of moisture that was utterly characteristic of the Land of Water. The gentle pitter-patter against concrete drummed against his ears with every step. This was a day like any other. It had become routine for him now to rise just before the first ray of sunshine was cast down from the overhead dawn and allow himself to flow out into his homeland. He operated now as a monotone following his return from Sunagakure. Since recovering he would scout out in the morning to sight read the state of the village, covering the ground and seeing for himself the people’s state. Kirigakure had never been a place with any significant crime infestations, the culture wasn’t conducive to it, but going through the motions kept his mind at peace.

The ships moored at the docks beyond the far walls of the city loomed over him as he went through with his patrols. They were the unfortunate final destination of his journey today. The meandering and winding path he took to the edge port districts might have made his unwillingness obvious to an observer. But this wasn’t anything new either. Many times before he had been called on by the village to remove the scourge of piracy that festered in The Land of Water’s ports.These weren’t the first to get the brilliant idea of banditry at sea. Any idiot could take up a boat and prey on merchants here without much trouble. Seafaring equipment and weaponry were cheap here, and nearly everyone had some sort of weapon training. The manner in which Kirigakure responded to this piracy wasn’t exactly ideal for suppressing it either. Sure, he was currently on a mission to go out and end a group of smugglers, but at the same time this was a B-Ranked mission. Only the most threatening pirates were targeted, those worthy of the rank and pay of the mission, while the smaller fish were allowed to get away. Chigetsu had his own suspicions for why this happened. What he had settled on was that it was to hold back and wait until the pirates had drained wealthy merchants of enough to be a prize on their own right and then swoop in to seize it all for the village.

“Interesting, isn’t it?”

The echoing of dancing raindrops would provide a downpouring background tempo to his entrance. From the depths of the mist would come a man, although hardly recognizable as one. His flowing pink hair was damp down around his face, with the exception of the thick rope of braid that stretched down his back. Chigetsu’s femininity was obvious at a glance, even with his form obscured by the thick yellow raincoat he now wore. Each forward step he took towards the docks would send another squelching sound out from his black rubber boots. Surely from all the sounds they were making water had gotten inside, probably getting his socks all wet. Maybe it wasn’t clear that he was addressing the male, Yoshito, at first, but any confusion would further evaporate away with every step he took towards the other. He would stand a head above the young child as he came near, a big smile on his face as he looked down to take in the appearance of the boy he was partnered with.

“He’s hurrying so fast to load up that ship… But where do you think they’re going? Can’t they tell a storm is approaching with this rain?”

He would gesture with a pointed finger through a rubber glove towards the man who Yoshito had just recently been interacting with, who was now attempting to haul that crate across his ship’s gangplank onto the deck. The same ship was already loaded with similar crates of various natures, and there were plenty more crates that seemed as if they were waiting to be loaded onto the ship. It was all plenty of work for a single man and would likely take this poor fellow quite a while to complete. Chigetsu wouldn’t directly state what he knew was going on. The mission briefing he had received as the mission’s leader was likely a bit more extensive than what Yoshito had. He would only smile and wait for the boy to put it all together for himself. The boy was sure to be confused by all of this though, especially as Chigetsu hadn’t even introduced himself, but that was all the more amusing.

“If they’re going to get set sail before the storm hits they better hurry. Why don’t you go and help him out? There are plenty more crates. I'm sure if we both worked together to help him we could have this all done in no time flat~"

---

[844]

A voice crackled through the sound of rain smacking against the wooden docks as Yoshito awaited the arrival of his superior. It surely got the young man's attention as he watched the blurry form of a person become visible to him. He spoke with somewhat of a light tone, one that would often be assigned to a woman yet his looks and facial features would sway the boy to think otherwise. He did have pink hair and walk a little finer than a hardened man would normally do so. Could this be Chigetsu, his superior for the mission at hand? The name was an odd one, from that alone he couldn't assign a gender and so he was not sure what this person would be called. The first thing he said when he entered the vision of Yoshito 'Interesting, isn't it?' is what truly caught the boy's attention. It only made sense that he was a shinobi but the truth behind his intentions would remain unclear at the time of the first sentence. Yoshito could only nod at the statement that just barely made it past the barrier of sound that the rain provided.

The person moved a bit closer to Yoshito allowing a closer look at the humanoid that appeared before him. He moved so fluently but with a clearer look, he could almost for certain claim this to be a man. He was tall and the sound as he walked was a little funny, rubber boots in a land that offered more rain than anything else. What an odd choice of footwear. The man pointed off to the distance at the clouds rolling in, dark and ominous in nature they were building ever so slightly suggesting a storm fast approaching. The wind picked up slightly when Yoshito turned his head to look at what he pointed out. Yoshi's long flowing pale blue hair shifted along with the gust that came through the docks. "Yeah, I tried to tell him. They're set on leaving with all this stuff soon." Yoshito spoke to the man that had appeared offering assistance in the form of words so far. Yoshito's hands entered his pockets as he turned back to the man who halted his advancements for the time being.

The man then spoke of the amount of work that this singular man would have to go through lifting and loading all the crates left on the dock by himself. Yoshito had offered help once before but respectfully declined the service he was offering. But with what the man said Yoshi couldn't help but think that maybe he said no because it was clear Yoshi was a young boy only fourteen years old. Not much experience and the man could have been judging the book by the cover, one could say. Yoshi let out a sigh after the man said what he said. A smile would be held across his face through the entire sentence save for the moments where he would have to part his lips to speak. This was a little odd and annoying to Yoshi, no one could be happy like that all the time, it's just impossible.

Yoshi turned his back to the man and began making his way back to the man he once offered assistance to as he started at another crate. He bent his back instead of his knees, the wrong way to lift a heavy crate especially if there were multiple crates. Hands still in his pockets Yoshito would ask again if the man would like any assistance. The man would begin to decline, his body was still bent downward as he looked up at Yoshito. But as he began his declaration to decline the assistance yet again his eyes widened as he looked past Yoshito seemingly to the man who had just recently made his presence known. Without another word, the man quickly stood straight up catching Yoshito off-guard. With that being done the man reached out and grabbed the boy before he could react, he was fast, much faster than the genin that stood before him that is. After grabbing the genin the man jumped upward and onto the railing closest to the dock. With a kunai at Yoshito's neck slightly pressed against it, he spoke aloud to the one that still stood at the dock.

'Stay away from us! We're taking the boy as insurance!'

His words stretched to the docks with ease as he hollered, Yoshito didn't know exactly what to do but he looked around on the ship to see what exactly could be used if he got the chance to break out of the hold the man had on him. When his head twisted, however, the man would just take his free arm and place it atop Yoshito's scalp firmly and twist it to face front. After his statement and badgering the man took Yoshito's body and coupled it with some rope tying him to a nearby post just before the deck that housed the steering wheel. Words could be heard hollering out to the crew, Yoshito didn't know exactly what they meant all he could think is they were about to set sail. The rain picked up slightly and with a gust of wind the ship would be off into the oceans of Kirigakure no Sato.

Ten crew members, all have weaponry at their sides. Barrels with unknown contents. And the smell... Mentally taking notes of everything he could see would be cut short by the overwhelming smell of the crew. It was clear that these people lived with the fishes. He hated feeling useless yet here he was, tied to a pole, awaiting a rescue.

Chigetsu watched. The way that the man stiffened. It was like watching the hackles on a dog raise up suddenly. Alertness. Fear. It was exciting to watch now that he could see its form. He stood straight up, much too straight, and took hold of the boy. What he was doing was smart. Taking a hostage would provide them with an advantage in terms of negotiation. It definitely complicated Chigetsu’s position. Especially with the kunai placed to the kid’s throat. Chigetsu could have easily shot a bullet clean through this man’s head. It would have pierced through his skull and scrambled his brains before leaving out the other side, just letting pink goo drain out through the two holes in his skull. It would have just been a flick of his finger. He didn’t know how quick the man would be with his movements though, and so it would have been an unnecessary risk. Even if he had killed the punk before the kid’s throat was slit open there’s no way to know if the spasming of his dying body would have sliced the kid’s neck anyhow. Chigetsu wouldn’t move. The smile he had plastered on his face would remain as the man slowly backed aboard his ship, Yoshito tightly kept in his grip.

With the two of them gone, disappearing up onto the deck, Chigetsu would sigh. This was more difficult now. Allowing a genin to be assigned on a mission like this with him likely wasn’t the brightest idea that he had. The remaining cargo that still was on the docks would be abandoned and the crew would immediately kick themselves into overdrive in order to sail out as quickly as possible. He would watch it all. The sails were raised quickly and they would push out and catch some of the approaching storm winds. It would send them out of the docks and into the rumbling seas of Kirigakure no Sato.

He would slip into the sea. Jumping off the docks, Chigetsu would liquefy and slip into the ocean himself, indistinguishable from his surroundings. This had been his original plan. Even with the kidnapping of Yoshito he wouldn’t be forced to change all too much of it. The ooze of his body would pierce through the waves at a speed where he was easily able to catch the fleeing ship. The pirates were sailing with the wind, taking any gust in their sails that came by to create as much distance as possible, but there wasn’t a ship fast enough to outspeed a determined underwater Hozuki. He would catch them without much effort, and with his body under the waves they would be none of the wiser. His first order of business would be to disassemble the rudder. The flat piece of wood that was connected to the bottom of the ship would picked at with the variety of sharp objects that Chigetsu carried, chipping away at the steering device until it could be torn off with his strength. That the ship now lacked a rudder wouldn’t be something the crew wouldn’t immediately realize unless someone was at the wheel attempting to actively steer, and with their small numbers there would be much more important things for these pirates to be taking care of at the moment.

Chigetsu would enter the ship after this was taken care of, entering through the bottom hull. The sealing that was laid over the wooden planks would normally prevent any water from seeping through, but this stopped being a barrier for Chigetsu once he simply tore these wooden planks open. A series of tentacles would be called forth from his left arm, and these ropey limbs would have the strength needed to simply tear a hole through the ship’s bottom. This would be something that the crew would notice easily, as the tearing of wood would be easily audible up on deck. The entire ship would heave from the damage, stuttering and shaking for a moment as water rushed in through the newly created entrance. The same process would be repeated again through the next layer of ship, and Chigetsu’s tentacles would pierce through the ceiling of the storage rooms. The same process would be repeated again for the next layer, and Chigetsu’s tentacles would pierce through the ceiling of the crew’s quarters. It would happen again, and the ten squid-like tentacles would rip through the underside of the deck and rise up over the ship. He had ripped a hole entirely through the entire height of the ship, and the water that was now rushing in would surely end up sinking the entire thing. It was only a matter of time now. All the while the storming and raining would seem to only grow worse, shaking the weakening foundations of the ship.

The crew would fly into a panic. The ten tentacles that rose up from the core of the ship would thrash and flail wildly, making it seem as if they had evoked the rage of some mythical kraken. The weapons that the men had been carrying would be drawn immediately, a variety of sabers and knives. Carried up from the depths of the ocean by these tentacles would rise a single figure - Chigetsu. This was a clone he had created and sent with his tentacles up to establish a greater presence on the deck. The scene could be said to be nothing less than incredibly chaotic. The movements of the tentacles perhaps exposed how blind they were, with Chigetsu reaching his arm up in and scambling about in an attempt to grab something. Anything that he was able to get a grip on would be tossed swiftly overboard, largely a great deal of the stolen cargo they had drug aboard. Whenever the panicked men would be able to get close enough to attempt a slash with their sabers or knives would find the steel weaponry passing right through the tentacles, exposing their goo like nature. Fighting an enemy made out of jelly wasn’t easy.

The clone would meanwhile search the deck, riding the tentacles for a moment before sliding down onto its own feet. A quick glance around would allow it to zero in on the boy who had been stolen away as a hostage, tied tight to a post. The chaos created by the thrashing tentacles of his main body would create enough of a distraction for the clone to pass by without having to worry about the angered pirates. Any in the way would be sidestepped and brushed by. His goal, Yoshito, would be prioritized and quickly reached. The pink-haired man would skid to a stop on the damp wooden desk as he reached the boy again.

“You look a little tied up there, Yoshito.” Chigetsu would immediately break out into a smile and nearly laugh at his own little joke. Perhaps it was clear by his tone that he wasn’t taking this all too seriously. A kunai in hand would be used to begin sawing at the ropes that were holding the boy to the post, delicately cutting away at the ropes to loosen the strain on the kid without risking slicing him open in the process. “Let me help you out here... But there’s some important information I’ll need you to tell me. Answer quickly. First, how well can you swim?” The ship itself seemed to have depressed slightly from its original state above the waves, already beginning to sink as the lower levels filled. “Second, you’re not squeamish around blood or anything, are you? And third …” Chigetsu would be cut off, flinching as one of his tentacles slammed above the both of their heads into the post that Yoshito was tied to, roughly a foot and a half above his head. Wood and splinters would fly off with the impact, and the tentacle would curl around the post and pull roughly for a moment, only letting go when the post proved still too tough to simply twist and rip off.

The ropes would be quickly taken off after that. Chigetsu moved a bit hastier with the knife, and Yoshito would be freed from his bindings. The knife’s handle would be afterwards placed roughly into the boy’s hands. “Here.”

---

[1401/2245]

Yoshito's body shifted from side to side at failed attempts to escape his rope bondage the pirates had set him under. The boy's eyes darted downward at his leg pouch that always held a couple kunai and he had used them in his times of need. This is definitely just that. Splashes of water from below would rise up against the ship's sides puddling on the floor. The wind picked up slightly as the rain became stronger with every inch the ship took toward the impending storm. His plans were simple enough for the young man to think it up quickly and under the pressure he was under. As the storm grew the ship rocked harder and harder across the everchanging ocean it was soaring over. Distant claps of thunder could be heard accompanied by the bright white flashing light that a lightning strike would emit as it escaped the heavens and descended upon the earth.

it appeared as if the strange man he met at the docks wasn't coming to his aide in this endeavor. Yoshito was on his own for this one. Although it was tough to maneuver without drawing attention to himself, Yoshi slumped down in attempts to reach the pouch housing his ninja tools. The rope that clenched the young boy in its grasp became tighter making it seem impossible for the feat to become reality. A sweat bead dripped from the top of his hairline as his attempts seemed to be fruitless. He wouldn't stop. All of the boy's attention became focused on retrieving a kunai from his pouch and with all of his attention on that, he didn't realize he was grabbing the attention of the crew aboard the ship. The one who had taken Yoshi hostage stormed up to the boy, his hand on his sword's hilt as he kneeled down to eye level. He spoke in obscene language asking if Yoshi wanted to die today.

Yoshi jerked his head to the right to not give this bilge rat the satisfaction he sought. The man lifted his arm taking the motion that he was going to pull Yoshi's attention by his chin as his father had often done when they first entered the Land of the Mist. He at least attempted this.

Suddenly the ship would rock in such a way that suggested something was wrong. Yoshi and the man's eyes darted into each other in confusion. The man swiftly shot upright and hollered to his men to get a status check. Scurrying about the ship the crews had done before a sudden shriek seemingly from the bottom of the ship could be heard. The man gave Yoshi a stern look to which Yoshi could only shrug. He couldn't give an explanation even if he had known what was going on. Before the man could turn around the ship itself let out a pained scream which would be audible by the cracking and dismantling of the wooden structure. What came after that was a sight that Yoshi hadn't quite seen yet and didn't know exactly how to react. A frenzy of large tentacles erected from the depths of the sea smacking and throwing anything it could touch. Screams of men flying overboard would become distant and cut off when the sound of their body plopping into the water overcame their screams.

"What the fuck is that man! This mission ain't worth it the shit you got ain't even worth my life just take it!"

Yoshi's screams of confusion and pure terror would be accompanied by squirming of his body within the confines of the ropes that limited his movements. He panicked for his kunai to rip him free of the restrictions these barbarians had placed on him before a sudden clarity washed over him. A quaint voice tore away from the chaos that had come across the ship telling Yoshi he seemed a little tied up. He looked up at the voice. It was the man who visited Yoshi at the docks. Questions flooded his mind but he didn't have time for all of that. Yoshi didn't get to answer before the man kneeled down as his kidnapper had before trying to cut him loose from the rope restraints.

"I can swim, I'm cool around blood."

Yoshi's responses came in quick succession after each question was shot his way. Yoshi was eager to hear the man's third and final question but just before his body could fully erect from his previous lax position one of the tentacles would smash through the pole Yoshi was being held captive on. It then almost instinctively grabbed hold of the post that was left that once housed the Crow's Nest. Yoshi looked up from his bent position as he froze in when the tentacle slammed through the post. Splinters scattering about the air around his body.

"Shiver me timbers am I right? What the hell is that thing?"

Yoshi's ill-timed question would most likely not be answered as the man who would now clearly be Chigetsu, his mission partner, tossed him the kunai he cut the ropes with. Yoshi nodded at Chigetsu's generous offer as he gripped it tightly allowing his feet to spread in a stance that meant he was ready to fuck some shit up. Most of the pirates were either dead or off the ship at this point but there were still a few stragglers. One of which was the person who took Yoshi without the boy's consent. The boy's brow furrowed as the two locked eyes for the second time on this ship. They began to run at each other, the man's sword sliced downward at Yoshi. Yoshi's hand shot upward meeting his opponent's blade with his kunai knocking it away, his body lowered slightly as he slid to the other side of the man's body. Yoshi's arm thrust forward with his tightly clenched fist leading the way. The boy's knuckles emitted a sharp pointed edge of wind chakra with his strike as it was met with the man's own palm to deflect the quick reaction of Yoshi's.

That didn't stop the strike, the wind chakra cut through the man's hand. He winced and whined in pain as blood spilled dripping down soaking the wooden floor that was left underneath the two combatants. Right after this Yoshito's body twisted around to put his back at the man's torso as he allowed the same thing to occur but this time protruding from the peaks of his shoulders. The jagged edge of the wind chakra pierced the man's bicep as well as knocked back his sword. He stumbled back as another pirate came forward to assist his comrade but he was met with resistance from a tentacle flying from behind him knocking him forward to Yoshi much faster than the man had anticipated. With the tentacle coming from behind the man, however, Yoshi was prepared and so he took advantage of the man's confusion and adapted to the conditions. He leaped upward to jump over the tentacle moving rapidly he extended his leg catching the man's lower chin knocking his head upward. He clearly would be knocked out or his head would fly off of his body at least ripping at his Adam's apple.

It was then that another tentacle came from the side of Yoshito. Had the boy anticipated this, he could have dodged but alas he didn't see it coming. The tentacle knocked the boy with the strength of a truck knocking him overboard and into the water. As strong as the currents were he could still swim upward to the surface allowing chakra to keep him afloat above the waves. His body was tired at the amount of the struggle that occurred at the ship's main floor. He looked upon the sinking ship hoping Chigetsu would be soon behind him accompanying him in the ocean. He stared in awe at the beastly tentacles wreaking nothing but havoc among the mighty ship as it sunk slowly but surely. Pieces of wood and humans flew all about littering the water. Rain came crashing down onto the ocean as Yoshi stood there awaiting his partner. Lightning flashed with each movement the rampaging tentacles made giving them a more ominous look than before.

"God damn."

Chigetsu would only be able to laugh at the boy’s question. It was almost funny. Of course part of the humor came from how this kid’s life was in legitimate danger. His true body was simply flailing those tentacles around blindly. He could just as easily end up smacking Yoshito. Chigetsu could imagine all the bones in the genin’s poor body being hit by one of the flailing limbs and being completely mangled by the impact. It wouldn’t have been a pretty sight, not at all. Having to defend this boy from essentially himself was an awkward situation, not to even mention the pirates. It was all a headache. Still, he could only smile as Yoshito asked him what the hell the tentacles were. It wasn’t a question he would be able to answer.

Most of the pirates had either been thrown off the ship or willingly jumped in an effort to escape the flailing of the tentacles. Not all of them had though, and this was something that Chigetsu had hoped for. He handed the knife to the kid for a reason. Testing the ability and character of these new soldiers was important. Yoshito seemed to take that direction on his own though, and needed no prompting. Rather than assist he would stay at a distance, watching from afar to gauge the boy’s capabilities. The man who had taken him captive, who was still surprisingly alive and standing, would be the kid’s first target. As much as Chigetsu wanted to watch he would have his attention split, forced to confront and fight himself in order to lessen the damage these tentacles were causing. With a tight grip on a kunai he would dash across from one post to another, using the crushed remnants of the ship as footing in order to gain the leverage to take a slice at once of the tentacles. The knife slid through like it was cutting butter, and the severed tentacle limb would collapse down on the ship’s deck. Any others that came too close would be similarly jumped at and sliced at with the sharp end of his knife. Considering these were his own limbs he wasn’t too eager in slicing them all to shreds, but at the same time he could be a bit rougher. They would all be able to be reattached after being severed, and because of his nature of being made from water the blade wounds would be irrelevant. It was more about keeping an area safe.

By the time Chigetsu would look back at Yoshito he would have ripped his target’s head clean off, dodging a tentacle in the process and using it as a method to catch his opponent off guard. Clever. His cleverness didn’t save him as another one of those tentacles came and knocked the kid completely overboard, sending him flying into the waters. Chigetsu would cringe at the sight of it. He could only hope that he hadn’t killed the poor boy. The ship itself wasn’t long for this world, especially as the intensity of the storm increased. It was as good as sunk. Seeing that his work was done Chigetsu rushed back down to the hole that had been initially created by the tentacles. A quick dive in would allow him to re-merge with his main body. All their split memories would be connected together immediately, and as soon as he realized what he had done Chigetsu would drop his concentration on the tentacle technique. They would all retract into the water, and the liquefied Chigetsu would dash under the ruins of the ship in order to look for Yoshito’s body.

He would resurface from beneath the waves beside where Yoshito lay. Chakra would flood across his body, and he would climb up above the waves as if they were solid until he stood on the water as if it were as if it were the ground. A hand would be offered down to Yoshito.

“Need some help?”

---

[680/2925]

The shadowy presence of a hand would be seen before jetting out of the depths of the water Yoshi was thrown in to. The hand entered the water seemingly offering Yoshi a way out of the murky waters. The rain droplets plopping into the water rippling in the mirror-like surface. His body freed from the waters, he smiled at Chigetsu with a nod. "Thanks friend." is all he would say. The water dripped from every nook and cranny his slender body possessed. A thunderous clap shook the earth as he stood tall overlooking the onslaught that had just occurred. He didn't know exactly what to do next, he hadn't been on a mission quite like this. Or, at least, he hadn't been on a mission that had this kind of result. A ship in the middle of the ocean that exploded with wild raging tentacles that just disappeared as fast as they appeared. The sinking ship left Yoshi and Chigetsu stranded atop the ever-changing currents of the ocean.

Yoshi rubbed the back of his neck looking around the area as the rain poured on the area, his gaze stopping at his superior. "Hey, should we uh, take these people back to the village or something?" Yoshi looked around once more noticing the dwindling number of people that were struggling to keep themselves afloat atop the waters. "Er, what's left of them that is...?" The question floated out of his mouth as his mind seemed to be on something else. He still was thinking about the tentacles that plowed their way through a strong and sturdy ship like it was nothing. The boy was flabbergasted at the thought of such a thing, could that have been some type of jutsu that Chigetsu brought to fruition? Or was it possible that it was just a monster that lurked deep within the bowels of the ocean? The boy looked to the water but he couldn't see through it.

Yoshi made his way back to the docks atop the water. The boy wasn't in a rush so he just walked. His feet let off a light blue aura as they met the surface of the water. "So, Chigetsu, those tentacles, was that you?" He said inquisitively, he didn't know this man at all and the awkward walk back to the docks would be even more awkward if he had not at least attempted at some sort of small talk. Plus Yoshi still hadn't discerned the origins of the tentacles and wondered if the man had any ideas or if in fact, they did come from him. "Also, I never got to introduce myself where are my manners. I'm Yoshito Yuki mister, a pleasure to meet you and thanks for saving my ass back there." The boy's inquisitive tone would take a turn into a more pleasurable and innocent one as he introduced himself formally and finally. It would seem to be the least he could do after Chigetsu saved him from a kidnapping. He didn't want to take on a life as a pirate.

“Take them back to the village?” He would giggle a bit at that question. It was almost cute how it was the first thing on his mind. Chigetsu would brush a bit of his hair back, immaculately dry despite just rising out from the waters. His entire body was like that, without a single drop of water on him. The rain that was cascading down from the storm would only seem to be absorbed into him upon making contact, leaving no traces of moisture.  “No. The ones who aren’t dead will be picked off by the clean up crew. They’ll take care of any bodies and the wreckage of the ship.” It was convenient being able to call in other Hunter Nin in order to clean up the stragglers after the main objective of the mission was complete. They had already been waiting on standby, and with the ship being sunk they were sure to already be speeding out to seize any remaining prey.

While still holding the younger boy’s hand Chigetsu would begin walking with him back to the docks. Yoshito had gone through a lot in the last few moments. Being kidnapped and held at knife point surely wasn’t a pleasant experience, nor almost being killed by a variety of rampaging tentacles. He still felt a bit bad for accidentally hitting the kid with one of them. Luckily he didn’t seem too injured, and was still capable of walking. Chigetsu was lucky. He was embarrassed, and when asked about the tentacles he would smile a bit nervously. “Those were me. I got a bit too excited with them. Sorry about hitting you off the ship.” Quickly he would give a pat to the kid’s head. “You’re fine though, aren’t you? You look like a tough one. No broken ribs or anything, right?” He would give a slightly poke to the kid’s sides, checking to see if there was any pain. So soon after that entire ordeal it was possible he was still in shock. Chigetsu wasn’t anything close to a medical ninja but he at least believed himself to be perceptive enough to figure out if the kid had anything broken. If he had there was likely a clinic he would rush off too nearby.

Assuming he didn’t get any negative reactions from the poking and Yoshito seemed more or less in an okay condition Chigetsu would continue on. Seeing Yoshito introduce himself Chigetsu would feel inspired to do the same. “A member of the Yuki Clan? Interesting~ You look like one. I’m Chigetsu Hozuki. It’s a pleasure to have worked with you.” Upon reaching the docks he would help the younger boy back up from the tops of the waves. “I’m sorry our mission together turned out the way it did. If I had been a bit more quick I would have saved you from those pirates before they had taken you onto that ship… Oh well~ It was more fun this was, right? It’s not every day you get to crash a ship like that.” He would laugh at the silliness of the situation he caused. "Oh well~"

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[537/3463]

Yoshito's hand rose to his cheek as he scratched at it sheepishly. Chigetsu had stated that there wouldn't be a need to retrieve these pirates from their impending doom. The violent currents of the waters in Kirigakure could wipe away anyone especially these people in their condition. Most were either already dead or unconscious and the ones that weren't didn't seem to be moving much. Maybe they received too many damages from the events from earlier. The boy would just walk alongside Chigetsu as they made their way back to the docks they left unexpectedly as Yoshi was kidnapped. The noise of the thunder crackling in unison with the lightning striking down onto the water was almost too much to bear in a dramatic sense. Shadows of rather large protruding earthen constructs that laid sporadically behind the two would flash before them as the lightning crashed. Yoshi turned around as he was walking with Chigetsu to look at the bodies they two left behind floating atop the water's surface. He watched as one by one the hunter-nin that Chigetsu was talking about earlier would come by and flee quickly with a body in their arms. Dense pockets of rainfall blurred the vision to the point that he could no longer see anymore and so he turned his head back ahead of them as they walked.

The boy took his hand from Chigetsu, not in a violent way but he didn't like the feeling of not having complete control of his limbs in case he needed them at a moment's notice. He then set a slight space between the two of them. With the hand he took from Chigetsu's hold he began holding his side that was struck by the tentacle earlier. It was nothing too major but it would surely leave a bruise. It pulsated with pain as flashes of the boat as he was being thrown overboard would come in and out of his mind. Then the boy heard Chigetsu as he confessed that the tentacles were, in fact, his doing. The boy thought as much, maybe a summoning of some sort. He didn't know much of Chigetsu but he seemed pretty badass. The corner of Yoshi's mouth curled a bit into a sort of half-smile as he listened and got a quick pat on the head from Chigetsu. The boy's cheeks flushed red in response to being teased by this clearly superior shinobi. Yoshi's hands went to sweep Chigetsu's poking finger and his patting hand off of his body chuckling a bit. "Hey stop that!" The boy said shyly and looking away with cheeks still highlighting red.

What does he mean I look like a Yuki clan member?

The thought came across Yoshi's mind as he took Chigetsu's hand pulling himself up from the water's surface. He didn't need the help but it was nice to be offered. Yoshito stood still on the edge of the docks listening to Chigetsu apologizing for earlier not being able to save him faster. Yoshi simply shrugged in response to this. "It's no big deal ChiChi, I thought it was a little fun to be on a real live pirate ship!" Yoshito said to Chigetsu hoping he wouldn't mind the nickname he thought of. "Yarharr and a bottle of rum!" Yoshito said imitating a hook with his right index finger bringing it up into view and in the most uninviting pirate voice he could strum up. There he goes again, his cheeks flooded with a rosy tone yet again but this time it was his own fault, the imitation had brought embarrassment to himself. Being one's self wouldn't stop when one becomes a shinobi, however, why stop just because you're a defender of innocent people in the village? Yoshito laughed at himself hoping Chigetsu would soon follow in his pursuit to happiness. Yoshito planned his exit alongside his newfound friend as he compared him to the others he had met within the village. Such a diverse village. Being a foreigner himself, he couldn't help but notice how each of these people acted being put in different situations.

Mission Completion: 2,500 WC
Left over WC: 1,935
Using Leftover WC for +475 Ryo

He would almost pout a bit as Yoshito pulled away from his hand and took a step away to keep some distance between the two. That was no fun. At least it probably meant that he was fine. Especially with reaction to his poking and prodding at the boy’s ribs and sides. Nothing broken. Probably no internal injuries. Maybe a bit bruised. He was going to be all fine. Chigetsu didn’t actidentally kill a genin with him on a mission, and wouldn’t be teased by the other Jounin as being a genin killer. The thought of carrying around that nickname was enough to make him sweat. It was a relief that the kid was safe. The way he blew it all off was adorable as well. A surprise came with the nickname, ‘ChiChi’, but it wasn’t an unwelcome one. It was cute. This boy was cute. Especially in the way he mimicked the way he thought a pirate would talk, with the ‘Yarharr’. Chigetsu had to hold himself back from giggling. It was especially impressive that he was like this after just taking a life, and being in that chaotic situation. It was good. A valuable skill for someone to have, to be able to joke around and laugh right after plenty of people had just died, or after having just killed yourself. Chigetsu would make a mental note in his head to keep an eye on this one in the future.

After they had returned to the docks, and then off the docks into the village itself again the two would eventually have to go their separate ways. It was a shame. Chigetsu would check that he knew where he was going and had a place to stay, and once confirming that Yoshito would receive a small pat on the head before Chigetsu disappeared into the rain. The brief interlude of giggling and laughter would end just as quickly as it started. Chigetsu would slip his mask back on and dash onwards to the next mission he had been assigned to. There was still plenty of hours left in the day, even if the storm made it impossible to see the sun. He wouldn’t be finished until midnight, spilling more and more blood throughout the nation.

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[382/3845]
[EXIT]

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