Mission:

The small rowboat had just left the harbor, a man by the name of Goru accompanied by the two genin who had answered to his mission. The trip to the island was quiet, as the man rowed to their destination without having said a word. Twilight dawned on them as the orange skies reflected off the sea and showered the nearing island with a yellowish glow.  They gently swayed while the sounds of Goru’s rowing echoed in the growing silence. The calm before the inevitable storm. The man growing ever more nervous as the moon emerged from the autumn colored clouds. Dusk was upon them, and there was no avoiding the foretold raid.

Sachi sat just behind Goru, facing away from the island and at the young genin in front of him. They were roughly the same age, but this boy was significantly smaller. Almost a worrying sight for his age, he knew he’d offend bringing up any mention of the boy’s size. He hadn’t had the time to introduce himself as he had just arrived at the harbor before immediately setting off. There was a desperosity in resolving the conflict with the raiders even Goru spared no expense in formalities merely stating his name and rushing to the boat. The atmosphere amongst the three being rather tense.

“I’m Senju, Sachihiro” the boy initiated as he offered a handshake to his partner “I just exchanged here from Konohagakure” figuring the small window of opportunity between shorelines would be the best time for introductions. Seeing as it’d be better to know each other’s capabilities before the inevitable fight he continued “I know a few water and earth techniques. Um. I know how to use the water clone technique so we won’t have to worry about being overwhelmed” He was a strategist at heart. Believing that careful planning and a steady approach resulted in the best results.

He eagerly awaited the boy’s response with a smile as they neared the island’s harbor.

OOC:

340

He was growing in terms of his status as a shinobi and the young ninja quite liked that. Not due to any increased ego, nor a taste of power but rather as he took on more and more he was able so too to gain more experience and meet those he may have never even interacted with before. For example the isles of eight legged shinobi, the waves of growing political corrupt powers and even that of hunter ninja themselves and yet as time drifted on Xiao Guan loved every moment of it. He adored the concept of travel but more than that he was thrilled to be able to meet these diverse shinobi and truly, if but for a moment, take in their stories for all their worth. On this mission, he had taken it as a part of a joint operation between that of the leaf and the mists continued alliance. Something that Xiao Guan truly adored, he was born of a none-human and a foreigner and not entirely the most typical shinobi. He had opted to honor his recent discoveries of his heritage by assuming the emblem of the Unmei Clan upon the chest area of a red hooded jacket as well as a webbed mask he donned in an attempt to hide the lower half of his face that did not rip off a known shinobi who mastered the Raikiri in the slightest.

As the boat master rowed he was placed along side that of a white haired boy with quite a handsome face, tied in the traditional topknot and a friendly aura about him. He introduced himself as a Senju to which the mention caused Xiao Guan's eyes to raise. Xiao Guan was, after all, an adamant historian and knowing the obsession many have had with senju cells and their impact on shinobi society caused Xiao Guan to become a little star struck to say the least. As the Senju extended a hand, Xiao Guan slapped his hand in a firm shake with a smile...obviously hidden by the red webbed mask he donned. "Xiao Guan of the...Well, I'm just me." he remarked with a shrug not really having much of an amazing history or atleast one he did not fully understand as of yet.

The topknotted shinobi explained his prowess with the water clone technique and his ability with doton and suiton styles of ninjutsu much to Xiao Guan's delight "Rock and roll. I'm not much of a fighter...buuut" the little spider remarked with a fierce tiger like grin as he made a sign like a check mark "I'm one heck of an amutuer doctor" he remarked in his own wicked way, almost jesting but at the same time he truly did take pride in his ability to mend wounds and the like. He folded his hands gently over his lap then and rolled his neck giving out a relaxed sigh "So you been on many missions?" he questioned whilst still massaging his shoulder, his easiness usually tended to get on the nerves of others but in truth it was the quipsters way of dealing with the stress of being in the middle of combat.


539

Spoiler:

Perhaps the world wasn’t as cruel as it seemed the boy thought.

In that exchange of words amongst the two shinobi, there was a speck of wisdom in their naivety. Both inexperienced and quite new to the world of ninja, they had found themselves taking on a mission under each other’s super vision. They would need to watch each other’s backs and follow through with the task at hand.

He acceptingly smiled at his remark. There was charm to his obsidian haired comrade and saw the smile through his eyes. He needn’t fly a banner for anyone but himself and nodded in understanding. There were many who weren’t born under the privileges a clan would otherwise provide and he made sure to understand that. Whether or not he’d discover his own heritage was out of the question for as of now, he was who he was.

I'm just me A statement that carried far greater weight in the Senju’s eyes.

He was excited to finally meet someone he could properly socialize with. One could argue that their ideals seemed to align in one way or another. Given the circumstance, there were much better places to have a conversation but for now, helping build this bridge would have to do. Just finding out the boy was a medical nin he in turn raised his eyebrows and grinned. Laughing at the jest. Although not one himself he had a deep admiration for medical practitioners. The doctor’s that had worked on his mother had left a significant imprint on his life and he made sure to show his respects whenever possible. He was quick to bow his head, simply mouthing ‘thank you’ with a grin.

“Ummm. Not really” he replied, embarrassed even “I’ve actually found myself touring the city these past few days. Heck, I’ve even put off training to enjoy the sights. I just moved to Kiri a few weeks ago. I’m kind of embarrassed to admit it actually” he let out a nervous chuckled.

“How about you?”

Soon after the boat stopped just under the incomplete bridge on a small makeshift harbor. As a light fog blanketed the site a clear trail of torches led up the nearby hills and atop the bridge.

“Here’s our stop” the boat master finally spoke, got off and started leading them up the hill “Over the last few day there’s been a group of mercenaries making visits. Attacking my men and stealing our supplies. I hired you two” he turned around looking at the two kids before him, somewhat disappointed “to defend us.”

442/782

OOC:

The shinobi of a ruffled feathered cloak looked the senju up and down with a smirk blazened across his face, he didn't try to be anything more than he was nor was he holding any secret powers. In fact, all Xiao Guan was, was a foreigner who had mistakenly stumbled upon the world of the shinobi.
A senju though, that truly carried weight and a weight that could be a burden or a motivator. Equal and opposite forces were present even in the emotional spectrum, something Xiao Guan knew all too well though could not imagine the immense stress such a burden would be to actually carry.

As the Senju responded to his question Xiao Guan casually nodded along, sucking the inside of his cheek and raising his eyebrows to show his interest as he was posed the question in return "For me? Yeah...It's none stop. Could say I can barely keep track of my own timeline sometimes between the constant ins and outs of shinobi life, y'know, but I like it. It's like uhhh....something new every day...if I can remember what day it is" he replied with a smile, a jesting tone in his voice to indicate though he was admittedly complaining somewhat he meant it all in good fun and no harm by it in the slightest. He enjoyed being a shinobi, but the constant moving about truly was causing his mind to be tossed to and fro unsure of the time or setting he was from time to time.

As the boat came to a halt, the fog began to drift in slowly, it was after all the village hidden in the mists territory and by extension it was no wonder that fog and mist followed the shinobi where they wished to go. The boat master instructed the shinobi that they two would be those who would defend them against the mercenary threat to which Xiao Guan gave a thumbs up "We got this sir, I'm a future Seven Swordsman of the Mist after all and my friend here is a direct descendant of the God of Shinobi himself! What do you have to worry about?" Xiao Guan stated, seeming more like a car salesman than a shinobi at that point.


374

“Wow” the Senju couldn’t help but admire his partner’s productivity. Almost regretting mentioning to the boy of touring the city rather than taking on missions. He crossed his arms and nodded, taking it as a jesting complaint. Life as a shinobi will be a difficult road, especially for someone as young as these two. Facing opponents far more experienced and cold-blooded than these two. However one should not underestimate this pair, being as young as they are, they were still capable of feats uncommon to average mercenaries.

“Yeah!” he then raised his fist at Xiao’s reply. He wasn’t too knowledgeable of the politics or cultures of the land of waves, but he knew they were quite a spectacle. Considering the personality he had shown so far, he would definitely get behind supporting him. However, he hadn’t thought about any of his future goals as of yet. Who would become as he rose amongst the ranks? From that simple statement, he couldn’t help but ponder. What was his purpose in this?

The man shrugged at the little crow’s response, either indifferent or unconvinced of the boy’s goals. “Well as long as you two take care of the mercenaries, I don’t care what you become” reaching the base of the bridge where they across a stairwell. This would eventually lead them to the bridge itself.

As they made their across the concrete path, it was obvious there was a work to be done. Construction tape placed throughout the bridges exterior, various shipping and freight crates opened stocked with essential materials, concrete mix, retaining walls, wooden planks, dimensional grids, and girders. Everything needed to finish the bridge within the next few days.

“I’ve lost most of my men in fear of them being attacked. As a few already have. But we need to finish this bridge. We need it. We’ve already finished that helped with trade amongst the nearby islands, but this one’s the mother of all projects.” He pointed at the end of the bridge “We just a need a few hundred more feet before we can start building from the mainland.” He began giving them a brief tour of the place, showing them where deliveries were made, introducing them to a few workers and finally showing them where the mercenaries usually attack.

Every now and then Senju would lightly elbow Xiao in excitement, not saying a word. Simply giving him a dumb smile and weaving mock hand signs as if to say “we’re going to be fighting together”.” He was still a kid after all.

438/1221

As he was met with jolly cooperation from the senju sapling the little shinobi gave a beaming smile. So far he had mostly been in the presence of the stoic or the mystical and hadn't yet encountered, frankly, somebody with his own character and spirit. Xiao Guan was, admittedly, quite touched by the fact that another kindred spirit had found himself among the ranks of the human weapons that were genin even if said person was from an opposing village. The opposing village, yet friendly status, of Konohagakure had a much more heroic past one filled with a grand will of fire that had truly given it an aura of peace and tranquility even in grueling times whilst Kirigakure No Sato was quite the opposite in it's ebbs and flows of tyranny and tranquility though it was the nature of fire and water. One was a tool that could be used to warm and bring light though could strike wildly if provoked whilst water simply filled the shape needed by whatever container it found, namely that of the will of the Mizukage.

The little shinobi was met with a shrug which caused Xiao Guan to smirk knowing he was underestimated - or rather, sanely estimated. "Heh, Mercenaries are just insects with a pay check" the little crow remarked stretching his arms from side to side. He wasn't much of a fighter, not at all, but a strategist was what he truly was when it came down to it and a politician if pressed hard enough possibly being better suited as a Daimyo than a Kage if ever reaching such levels of power. Nodding along as they were given a swift briefing of the bridge the little shinobi was delighted with the possibility, a bridge or a stairwell meant two deliberate choke points and with chokepoints meant a limitation of numbers passing through - exactly what the little one would need if he was to be of any use in combat.

As they made their across the concrete path, it was obvious there was a work to be done. Construction tape placed throughout the bridges exterior, various shipping and freight crates opened stocked with essential materials, concrete mix, retaining walls, wooden planks, dimensional grids, and girders. Everything needed to finish the bridge within the next few days.

As the older gentleman spoke of the ones he lost, Xiao Guan lowered his head knowing somewhat of the pain, it was in part why he held a policy that was quite unusual for a shinobi even one of a more peaceful variety. He would never kill. It was an odd thing, but as a doctor in training he felt that it was far better for he to be a man who brings about life and restores it than one who takes away life whether that be through discussion or beating his enemies senselessly he would always opt to incapacitate over the slaughter of another. Though he was some ways off from learning the truth of his bloodline, this small secret was enough that it may truly put him at odds with the remainder of his clan at a much later date though this would occur far later than the current time. The fear of loss of life, the fear of death was often enough to send others away and that was the goal of the little crow though he had promised himself he would never truly reveal this to others lest it become a weakness to be exploited at a later date.

The concept that the bridge only needed a few hundred feet more was enough to bring some semblance of comfort the little Unmei. Enough that he could reasonably start to consider the planning needed to take on these mercenaries. Though possibly not trained as shinobi this preparation was always intended just in case lest they be ambushed by waves of ninjutsu without knowledge of what their opponent could do. When seeing an earth ninja it was easy to surmise that they would mostly likely use doton and so forth but for a mercenary, a ninja unbranded, caution was a priority.


“I’ve lost most of my men in fear of them being attacked. As a few already have. But we need to finish this bridge. We need it. We’ve already finished that helped with trade amongst the nearby islands, but this one’s the mother of all projects.” He pointed at the end of the bridge “We just a need a few hundred more feet before we can start building from the mainland.” He began giving them a brief tour of the place, showing them where deliveries were made, introducing them to a few workers and finally showing them where the mercenaries usually attack.

Xiao Guan looked to the sapling with a smirk and a nod as he responded in kind, he truly enjoyed the youths company as he was finally able to cut loose without the fear of his head going flying in the wind, finally able to find someone he could jest with saving the fear from insubordination or other claims all together. Perhaps the other lands were different than his own, perhaps not only being a foreigner but a hybrid at that too meant something far different for Xiao Guan. "No problem...That seems fairly straight forward. We'll need some time to prepare."

The little crow clasped his hands and smiled to the Senju "So...as I said, not much of a fighter, but I can make a mean trap or two. I'm thinking...A bridge means not too much land to stand on, y'know, so...maybe trapping it up" Xiao Guan stated rubbing his neck in nervous anticipation "Let's say...a pit or two and some trip wires then let our fists do the talking? or hey! Oh!" Xiao Guan slapped his head as he remembered a grand strategy from one of the grand strategists of his home land of Gelel. It was genius, perfect for this. He began giggling, it was a truly good joke but also quite effective in what it could do "空城计..." he muttered to himself while shaking his head and laughing speaking in his true tongue for a moment. "Weird question, Are either of you good at making scarecrows?"

1040

Goru nodded in disagreement at the little crow’s invitation and walked off while shouting orders to his workers “Alright you lazy bums! I got you your damn protection” his claps echoed through the bridge as he secured his workers’ attention.

“These two are going to be doing our dirty work! Shinobi are expensive, doesn’t matter their age either. These kids can take you out at the drop a hat!” he assured them all “So while we finish up this damned bridge they’re going to be our look out, our protection and our army! Chop chop! Tomomi, get to working on that damn crane!  Tozuki, start the cement mixers! The rest of you, follow through!” there was desperation, anger but also relief in his voice as the man got back on the project that had been delayed far too long.

Workers starting relaying information to each other as heavy machinery roared to life, tools rang as it made contact with metal and caution signs beeped forewarning the dangers of misplaced workers. The project was back on and morale seemed higher than ever. Even though the boys had just gotten here, it was obvious this was the most active this bridge has been the last few weeks.

Sachihiro had turned his attention to his partner listening intently at his plan. He too wouldn’t have considered himself a fighter but his recent running with a few bandits and perhaps a broken nose or two would beg to differ. Twitching his nose at the thought of breaking his nose again, he nodded at the boy’s preamble. As his former partner wasn’t much of a planner but he definitely got things done at the cost of some bloodshed from both parties. He however he was all for it.

“Scarecrows?” he held back a laugh as to not give the impression to the workers that these kids weren’t taking their job seriously “I… I’ve never built one. What exactly do you mean?”

It did seem weird as it was an almost unprecedented question. The young Senju believed in prep time above all, especially as outnumbered as they it would be wise forego a plan involving decoys, traps and other forms of misdirection. He leaned in a little closer as to hear the little crow’s proposition, he wasn’t sure if there was any material to make a scarecrow on this bridge top or if they had the time but he was sure they’d make it work. His wood release was still very undeveloped and he would only be able to make cosmetic additions to their makeshift man, but that was about it.

There was definitely cooperation among the two and the complimented each other well in terms of strategy. He liked that and was genuinely interested as to where this plan go. It wasn't unorthodox as the shinobi world was full of strange techniques and practices. Why would this one be any different?

He looked at the swamp, opposite of the bridge’s end. Assuming they would be coming from that end he pictured traps laid out among the trees, wiping out a few before they ultimately would have to come to the bridge for the fights. He scratched his chin and continued to ponder whilst his partner responded.

554/1775

As Goru screamed at his workers the little one gave a cunning grin as he put his finger gently under his jaw, pressing his thumb to his lip - a nervous tick developped when he found something amusing so to hide his normally cackling laughter that even he found quite annoying at times due to it's crass and grating and harsh echo that resembled that of a crow when he laughed giving him something of an anxiety about it's sound.

He found it amusing that they were referred to as kids, something even most of the stronger none-shinobi wouldn't dare to say in hopes of not offending the child weapons that were molded by each nation. Walking time bombs molded and shaped into killing machines neatly packaged into the bodies of children much like Sachihiro and himself. It was something that sat uneasy with the little spider, he hadn't truly any desire to be that of a killer, he defied the nations that would love to turn him into that slaughtering mindless murderer by his own self inflicted code to never kill. The option to never do so would always bring him a deep peace, a peace as he felt it seperated him from others. The humble workers would continue to construct their bridge, they would obey their foreman and as anyone who had worked on a construction site knew - the foreman's word is law...as long as they were around that was to say.

As the workers scurried about the little strategist began his thinking, the empty city strategy was one of his favorite strategies as it optimised psychology over violence. Nothing would be lost, and nothing would be broken or destroyed. It would simply be a peaceful solution to any opposing force and if it could work on the great masters of the past then it was time to see if it could work on the mercenaries that assaulted these humble workers day in and out. He couldn't allow their economy to suffer due to the whims of tyrants, a stable market meant a stable economy and a stable economy meant a peaceful time or rather one that was slightly more peaceful than one tarnished and thus this was the desire of the shinobi of the spider clan, to ensure these people had their needs met and that the market was stabilized like Adam Smith with a katana.

As Sachihiro confided in Xiao guan that he had never built a scarecrow before the little strategists eyes lit up with a smile "See uh, I'm not from around here...well I am, my dads not and my mother is...yeah it doesn't matter. The point is! In a story from my land a great leader known as the Sleeping Dragon managed to trick an entire army into surrender...with only peasants, scarecrows and charisma." the small feathered cloaked boy then clasped his hands together into a prayer like stance as he gazed into Sachihiro's eyes with a deep and passionate smile "I get we're ninja, y'know, but the thing is...y'know...We can use this strategy. We allign the scarecrows up along, in the mist y'see so they don't know what's what. The workers too can clang their weapons and machinery to make it seem like a huge army. We walk forward...erm...Maybe Goru can come, a Jonin would be more threatening...and we invite them to attack. There's a risk they will attack of course, in which case we can just attack them back...but this way we could get out of this troublesome situation without any bloodshed!" Xiao Guan announced with a thumbs up and a wink, pressing his canine with his free thumb as was his nervous ticks.

"Can you make Sticks...or y'know, something like that?" he asked with grand curiousity "If not, we can go collect some, heck maybe some pumpkins or gourds too. They don't need to look perfect, just like there are a lot of them far back in the mist. we might need some smoke...uhhh construction site....construction....Ah, concrete dust. That works. We'll use that" the crow rambled his mind going a thousand miles an hour often times far faster than his mouth could catch up. If he lived in the modern day, he would easily be classed with ADHD but as this was a world of magic and weaponry the feudal time would simply see him as an unfocused strategist who stuck to anything that stuck as he threw everything to the wall. "So Plan A, empty City, Plan B, Trip Wires, Holes and Plan C...We show them what the mighty alliance of....erm, water...leaf...leaf...water...The mighty Rainforest Duo can do!" Xiao Guan stated with a grin moving to Sachihiro and placing his hand on his shoulder with a smile presenting his fist to bump - an eternal sign of shinobi brotherhood.

797

The boy looked at him, nodding at his ideas and fully understanding the little crow’s approach and attitude towards the enemies presented. He wasn’t against or acting on pacifism but he definitely understood that some violent scenarios weren’t easily avoidable. He had assumed that the boy was from here up until he briefly mentioned his ancestry. Who was this guy and where exactly did he hail from?

Questions for another day. The boy didn’t seem to be hiding any secrets and even if he did, considering the two, they wouldn’t make it a hindrance. He watched the boy carefully explain his history inspired plan, smiling back, appreciating the extent his partner would go to leave even the cruelest of people unharmed. He replied to the offer with a thumbs and a wink to reflect the boys mannerisms, overlooking the canine bit.

Feeling that his partner may have been a little nervous he patted his shoulder and responded “I’m up for it! The path of least resistance is a good one. Plus if things go sour, we can take a few beatings and you can just tend to the wounds. I don’t have a wood release jutsu per say, but I can try to make something like that.” Sachihiro then rolled up his sleeves and proceeded to form the serpent hand sign, clasping his hands together and molding whatever chakra he could find into the apparent life element. He relaxed his body and in a meditative pattern began breathing in from his nose and out his mouth. Nearly palpating as this was no easy task for the genin. He hadn’t done it often as he gravitated more towards his water techniques but just as quickly as he started, small wooden spikes and twigs began protruding from his persons. Branches. Wood that served no offensive or defensive purposes. The advanced element in its most harmless and least impressive form. Something expected of an academy student. The material began popping out of his body slowly but surely, sizes and quantities that would befit a scarecrow.

“How’s that?” he laughed as he looked down at the sorry pile of branches he made “it’s not much but it’ll get the job done. As for the other material I’m sure they something like that. Although they seem a little bit. Guessing we’d have to look for the stuff ourselves.”

As Xiao placed his hand on his shoulder, Sachihiro mirrored it as to telegraph his willing participation. Seeing the offered fist bump, the boy thrillingly exchanged the gesture. Following the fist bump, he raised the same fist and cheered “To Team Rainforest!”

448/2223

As he was patted for comfort Xiao Guan felt as if he could finally focus and be at peace, it was true his brain was somewhat scattered like he was constantly running on a motor being wound up every day just to never stop rolling constantly thinking and reacting to all things around him. It was why it was so easy to become exhausted so easily after each moment. What he was, or rather what he wished to be, was the type of shinobi who struck out beyond the measures of Kirigakure and name went down in legend but as long as he continued his nervousness he knew deep down the heroes life was not for him but rather a strategist or someone deeper in the ROOTs of society.

As Sachihiro stated how he was keen for the strategy Xiao Guan smiled "That's true, a quick stitch here and there and you'll be right as rain." he stated clasping his hands together and looking about as the senju prepared his ritual of molding chakra. It was quite the sight to see when it came down to it, not often did shinobi simply explore their nature it was often reserved for the sages and the senjutsu users and yet here was this young child able to get in touch with his primitive nature. It gave the shinobi of the spider clan a great peace to see, something that made him realise that maybe it was right that each generation built upon the shoulders of the last and if your ancestors were the literal gods of shinobi it was no wonder that Sachi could exceed them so easily.

As the boy rolled his sleeves up the spider shinobi watched in awe. Sprouting roots, the literal creation of life before him. There was something beautiful about it and yet something deep inside Xiao Guan echoed out to him thoughts he should not have, thoughts of what the old gods would have done with such power. Was it true that all things in life seemed to revolve around Hashirama and his cells? It was hard to fully comprehend but if so this meant that the ninja infront of him truly had the gift of the gods.  The small sprouts made him look as if a treant or ent in design much to the delight of the small strategist "Man that's kinda cool!" Xiao Guan stated clasping his hands and giving a great large smile to the sapling shinobi "You're like...a Tree Porcupine, that's super cool!" Xiao Guan stated looking closer at the little sprouts and twigs that surrounded his body, it was truly a sight to see.

As the fist bump was met Xiao Guan gave a great smile, perhaps that day though a mission like any other he had finally found a person he could call friend and rival. If a god of shinobi was so forthcoming then it was up to the young spider clan member to push his own limits so to become his equal in the future. "Team Rainforest, Hell yeah" he stated making a sign of serbian hound with each hand before gathering the sticks. As he proceeded to walk towards the construction workers and begin to gently tap on ones firm and thick back that burned to the touch "Uhhh hey...We might...need your clothes." the little shinobi stated and thus began to explain the strategy to the workers all around.

An hour or so passed as the preparations were made, trip wires laid out on the bridge, an army of scarecrows made from tool equipment, sticks and scrap clothes as well as burley builders all painted up to look like Shinobi. There Xiao Guan would sit ahead of them all at the furthest peak entrance of the bridge, waiting, looking back every so often to ensure the illusion looked good enough. The construction noises made enough racket for them to feel as though there was a literal army behind them and so it was time for him to wait. Looking to Sachi he gave a smile "If this doesn't work...Then we fight until we're dead...then we fight them as ghosts" he stated with a smile, pressing his thumb to his canine once more in thought.

707

He giggled at porcupine comparison. Funny at first thought, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to develop a jutsu like that when given the chance. The boy’s mind worked quite differently to his partner’s. Although excited and energetic, he usually approached ideas in a more calm and collected matter. He did however enjoy the more hyperactive approach the little crow tended to portray, especially when the plan utilized the environment to its full potential.

He hid the exhaustion from the chakra usage and wiped his brow. Holding back a sigh of relieve as his jutsu ended. “It’s really not that impressive” he replied honestly “I haven’t mastered my element, but nonetheless, thank you!” to those he had showcased his ability many seemed to be impressed by the advanced jutsu that came with his bloodline. Those who had complimented his ability tended to show a more sinister desire when it came to the nature technique, but when the little crow complimented as such, he felt the genuine admiration and nodded.

Perhaps the duo had their talents cut out for them. The shinobis hidden in the rainforest had a nice ring to it, however a mouthful it may be. Regardless, the power couple definitely seemed to cater a hidden talent, one that would grow in power as they aged alongside each other.

The Senju split into his own duties as Xiao managed to gather his materials. Assisting in encouraging a few other workers to partake in the ruse, moving a few steel beams here and there to further cover up their small numbers to give the illusion that there were more bodies than expected. He was hoping these mercenaries would fall for the trick, and didn’t want to impede on the boy’s plan. However remembering the mention of using Goru as “bait” for an adult, he decided to bring it back up once the hour setup was done.

“I know you said we’d use Goru as a stand in for a Jonin” he mentioned just before their plan would go underway “but we do have a few tricks up our sleeves. We don’t need anyone need else getting hurt but us if things go sour. We’re here to protect these guys after all” he then set up the standard chakra molding hand sign and in a puff of smoke, had transformed himself into an adult version of himself, garnering the respective outfit of a Jonin, flak jacket included.

“How’s this?” the boy gave his partner a thumbs up, hoping the disguise was convincing. Though misdirection and illusion wasn’t his forte, he believed himself to be pretty good at dress up. “But remember… we don’t know how long this ruse might last. They might be back the following day. Not that I’m confident in this strategy, it can just be a little difficult to play the long con”

He scratched his head at the thought of an unsuccessful scenario. They would have to follow through with this to the very end but he did enjoy taking the diplomatic approach. Even approaching matters such as these with a kind exchange.

531/2754

Chakra 250/250:

As the sapling showed Xiao his innovation on their idea Xiao clapped his hands in delight "Hey! That's WAY better! I was kinda worried Goru would, y'know....Let's just say I'm happy!" the little spider chortled as he began to smooth over his gloves somewhat ensuring that all of his equipment was formed and fitted in a correct way. As he waited along the bridge he began to breathe deeply in and out allowing the mist to fill his lungs. The anticipation almost made him giddy thinking over the situation that was soon to come. Battle, even a battle of the minds, was something that made the little shinobi quite excited especially when dealing with the anticipation of a near deadly experience. Such was the nature of humanity and it's almost obsessive admirance of death. Xiao, being something of a passivist, opted to do his best to try and overcome the restrictions of this life and instead ascend into something that was above petty conflict...well not really, he just didn't enjoy the concept of snuffing out a life he had no rightful claim to apart from his own.

As the shinobi waited in the cool cold air the little spider began to look out towards the horizen in anticipation, his eyes darting to and fro in hopes that he would soon see what they were aiming for, what they aimed for was of course the key to the compromise of the mission, an ending that would soon come and with it another coin in the shinobi piggy bank would be made. In the world of the shinobi, especially the nationalistic state of Kirigakure, one would always need to adhere to the laws of the land and garner a reputation to rival their own physical prowess. It was why the little spider aspired naught to be the next Mizukage or the next ANBU mercenary but instead to become the next daimyo or visier once had ascended to the level of the seven swordsman of the mist. Once he had become the hero that he hoped to carve out to himself with his own samehada in hand he knew he could make a change not only for kirigakure but for himself.

It was here that things began to grow. The sounding of clanking metal pots and pans and a deep pounding drum as five shinobi walked ahead strutting in their garbed robes with the sign of kirigakure plastered upon their forehead with a strict line drawn through it - how dramatic. It was one thing Xiao Guan often chortled at, the concept that the missing ninja had designers to ensure their costumes matched and were pressed and proper as if there were evil designers and interior decorators somewhere in the world. As they walked forward with their weaponry in hand the largest of the five walked forward, a hulking man with soft stubble and flowing silver hair, his muscles bulging as he gazed at the two genin. He wiped his nose before spitting on the ground as he looked over the mist filled fortress "Gotchaself an army, uh?" he remarked bluntly "Alright...Alright...We getcha..." he stated as he turned back to the other four, one began to crouch-walk towards his leader muttering something as the large six foot seven hulk of a man listened intently "Yeah yeah, we'll get goin'...We were just protecting our turf...Didn't need to call god damn army..." he remarked as he turned back walking "Pack it up boys!" he stated walking back to the mercenary crew who all seemed to nervously kick dust...save for one. A man with brown and grey hair tied back into a ponytail with a toothpick in his mouth "Wait..." he muttered as the boss started to pass the group.

"Wait...This is our turf...This is our home! Bring on the army! I'll die fighting" the toothpick wielding shinobi stated as he peered onward. The little spider's eyes buldged "Y-You uhh, well you can see it right now, right?" he stated nervously to the opposing force "Yeah, I can! So bring it on! I aint giving up our turf!" challenged the toothpick chewing shinobi much to the fear of Xiao Guan "F-Fine! Yeah! Just you wait!" Xiao Guan proceeded to wave his hand forward "Fire!" he shouted out as the mercenaries all stood, posing as if heroes about to be assaulted by piercing icicles like the two bonded brothers so many years ago, the boss proceeded to leap forward 'shielding' his brothers "No...I....I will die before my brothers!" the large beastial man stated.


And then....Nothing. Nothing but silence. Awkward silence. The boss stood there with his eyes closed and arms open in a messianic pose as the others cowered waiting for their death.
"...Did we do it? Did they fall for it?" shouted one of the builders from the back as the boss opened his eye "Huh?" he stated in utter confusion as his eye darted around. It was here that a mercenary with a blonde handlebar moustache sounded off from behind the boss and toothpick chewing shinobi "Uhhh Let me tell ya something brother, I think these guys might not be all you think that they are. Nash, I think we got played" he stated somewhat drifting off as he said so.


There was a silence  that laid on thicker than an Akimichi at an inflation fetish meeting "Oh. You didn't know?" the big boss, Nash, stated with a furrowed brow glaring down at the genin "WELL YA BETTER CALL SOMEBODY! CAUSE WE'RE ABOUT TO RUN WILD ON YOUR ASS" he stated as suddenly the mercenaries each flexed firmly, their muscles expanding, the blonde handlebar moustached mercenary ripping his shirt to shreds and shouting wildly as the leader began to warm up and with that the mercenaries rushed forward...straight for the small Rainforest Duo.

995

Spoiler:

The disguised Senju waited for the false fire, almost hoping that whatever was being fired would be true but to no avail. His heart raced at the thought of their failure but upon seeing their leader attempt to block the ‘oncoming’ projectiles for his comrades, he couldn’t help but admire the man’s tenacity. Perhaps if this man was had this man not defected and remained loyal to his land, he would’ve been fighting alongside the young shinobis before him.

As the handle barred man realized the trickery and informed his leader, a tassel sleeved man emerged from their ranks adorning a ten gallon hat and an outfit just as flashy and added on to his remark.

“I’M UNJUSTIFIABLY IN A POSITION THAT I’D RATHER NOT BE IN. But the Mercs will rise to the top ooooo yeeahhhhh” followed up by the flexing arrays of the five mercs.

The five charge forward in tandem, a strategy that seemed to work well for them as they approached with full confidence. They carried no melee weapons with them, seeing to that their Taijutsu skills were very well developed. In a very flashy attempt, the mercs jumped in tandem showing of their physique and flexing their grizzled muscles. Three of them dived at the disguised Senju whilst the other two went for an elbow drop on the little crow.

During this time, the Senju had little time to prepare but he had half a plan laid out. He weaved his hand signs as quickly as possible, these men were fast. “Water Clone Technique!” he shouted, as torrents of water rose from the ground forming six copies of the young boy. Fwoosh! They immediately rushed apart being sure to stay close enough as to not dissipate. Luckily the clones made it unharmed as the 3 men coming at him stayed focused on the original, their target since the beginning. They didn’t hesitate on attacking the supposed Jonin ninja before them.

The boy having no time to react from their superior speed was immediately rushed at a left hook to his face followed by a drop kick from their leader. The incredible force from the two immediately dissipated his transformation and sent the boy back a few meters. Moderately bruising his chest and face, he was knocked down but quickly rolled over and got back up. He spit out a glob of blood, a result of the blow to the face, the inside of his mouth was a lacerated mess. He wouldn’t be able to take a couple more hits. These guys were big and it was best to keep his distance.

He had stamina on his side, being able to catch his breath and not feeling the exhaustion of the blows just yet. Jumping into the air to avoid at least one of them, he weaved his final hand signs “Water Trumpet!” a jet stream of water shot straight at one of the mercs, bruising them moderately just before the boy landed and took another blow to the face. Breaking his nose.

Whilst the three men wailed on the Genin, his clones quickly ran on to the assault. They paired up and proceeded to fight back against the beefed up men. Two clones for every mercenary. One had even managed to successfully weave its own water trumpet and bruise the leader. For the time being they would hold the three men off while Sachihiro gathered himself from his now rattling head. He got on one knee and briefly tended to his now bleeding nose, simply blowing out the remaining blood leaving a mess of sanguine across his mouth and chest.

“You got this!” he shouted encouragement at his partner whilst he groveled in his newfound pain, rubbing his chest in a failed attempt to alieve some of it.

640/3394

Chakra 92/240:

Xiao's heart raced as he watched as the lack of fire seemed to rally the great hulking mercenaries much to his shock. To imagine his shock would be something that would send a shiver down the spine of anyone who had watched a grand rhino impale a small child and ruffle it around, jostling it to and fro and soon Xiao would be in the same situation. As Sachihiro would prepare himself so too would Xiao instead of taking a combat stance though he would opt to use what he always had found far more useless - improvisation through environmental usage, truly at heart he was an ECW fan.

As a flying elbow drop was commited towards the little crow he would look up in amazement, hoping to dodge out of the way but knowing his body was far to frail would instead catch the double elbows onto his solar plexis and rib cage feeling the air in his lungs be pushed out as he raspily let out a groan of anguish as he felt the air escape his lungs causing him to wince for a moment as he absorbed the blow. As the two laid there upon his chest they proceeded to stand to the their full over 6 foot heights. One would grab his body by the torso and hold him upward, whilst the other proceeded to leap in the air grasping him by the neck and causing his body to violently be pulled down causing his spine to contort in tortion and tension and a large crack to be heard.

As they threw the little shinobi to the side they proceeded to fold their arms laughing at the small genin whose eyes darted about, trying to find something, anything that could aid him. As the two of them once again proceeded to leap on high preparing to come crashing down with yet another elbow Xiao would use all of his strength and fight against the pinching in his spine to then roll out of the way causing their elbows to strike the cement hard and jolts of pain to rock through their bodies. As they were distracted by the strike to their elbow he would proceed to limp gently towards a near by sledgehammer. Grasping it and dragging it across the bridge he would proceed to grasp the head of the hammer and with a mighty swing he would shout "Time to play the game! Let's hammer this problem out!" even in pain his tendency to quip as much as humanely possibly still seeping through as the hammer collided with the floating ribs of the mercenary he proceeded to roll upon the floor, though this victory was shortly met as an opposing elbow from the second mercenary would land directly on Xiao's neck causing him to fall forward landing on his knee. The second mercenary would then proceed to use a hammer strike, using both hands as a club to club the spine of Xiao who proceeded to fall directly to the floor. His mind rushed with thoughts of how he could possibly get out of this issue but was met with a second wind as he began to crawl towards his hammer, rolling on to his back as a fist came heading directly for his chest he placed the head of the hammer against his chest causing the impact of the punch to mostly be absorbed by the hammer's head causing the crushing of the fingers of the opposing mercenary but so too causing yet another blow to his chest. As the mercenary shook his hand in pain the little shinobi proceeded to gently and gingerly crawl towards the side of the wall leaning against it and using it as leverage to allow himself to get up slowly.

Sachihiro seemed to be holding his own, somewhat at least, whilst the little shinobi furrowed his brow. Time and time again he had proved to be far too weak, far too lacking in ability and yet no matter what he attempted to do he was losing the knack to hold his own in combat and the knack to cement his legacy in the halls of the shinobi. It was enough to drive him mad, but he never did want to be a weapon, instead he wished to be a symbol, he wished to be something of a hero that helped rather than hindered but he knew if he continued to be someone he held back his team he would be that hindrance he wished to avoid. Though he never wished to become that of a weight that would weigh down the rest of his team much to the fear of the small shinobi. He did not want to be that damned anchor.

No, he wouldn't be, he refused to be. Mustering his strength as the mercenary continued to shake his hand in pain whilst the other rolled about on the floor with cracked ribs, the little shinobi would rush forward "IF YOU'RE GOING TO STAND AGAINST ME, THEN IT'S TIME TO BREAK THE WALLS DOWN" he cried out as he proceeded to slam the hammer as fast as he could across the face of one of the mercenaries, standing a top his chest and proceeding to swing the sledge time and time again. The sledge hammer battering the mans chest time and time again, coming down with the force of...well of a small child with a hammer but still a hammer none the less. The assault was, once again, short lived, as a flying close line was met to Xiao's side hooking his neck and causing him to be knocked away from the shinobi dropping his hammer in the process.

The little shinobi proceeded to roll across the floor of the constructing bridge. He knew there would have to be some structural damage to his body at this time. The simply thing would be to simply grasp a scalpel and assault the mercenaries. To attack them and cut them down without a thought or feeling to it all but when it came down to it, truly, Xiao had seen the life of both of his parents taken from him. He would never kill, never take another life. That was beyond his code. But...That didn't mean he couldn't fight to the best of his ability. The shinobi looked to the shinobi with a furrowed brow and proceeded to rush forward as fast as he possibly could, the large shinobi reached out to prepare for yet another strike to which Xiao would proceed to 'fall' backwards, squarely on his back, then twisting his body into a handstand he would proceed to wrap his legs around the neck of the mercenary who was caught unawares.
Using the momentum of a swinging motion the shinobi proceeded to manuever himself through the legs of the shinobi and caused the man's body to lurch forward, he would then proceed to use his arms to wrap his arms about the man's legs pressing on the back of his knee and having the giant tumble forward and landing directly on his face. If he couldn't beat them, he could use their weight against them, he could use what he knew and attempt his best no matter the consequence.

As Xiao found the man groan entering a state of slumber he made a mental note to check him for trauma after this small battle. It was his way, of course, to ensure that even his enemies were taken care of. Directly from this battle he had seen 5 men who had immense strength, passion and cared about their 'turf'. Well, this was Mizu No Kuni, so what was stopping the Mizukage from hiring them and allowing them to become the security for that area? They would claim territory and receive a paycheck as well as support which in Xiao's mind would be substantial enough to allow the large brutes to possibly comply to a new leadership. Xiao made a mental note as he proceeded to make his way over to the large shinobi whose ribs he had briefly assaulted, and collapsed a top of him, using his hand to feel his ribs to ensure no punctures or internal bleeding had happened just yet - enough that Xiao could ensure the survival of the mercenaries. "S-Sachihiro, my brother, how are....how are you feeling?" he asked shakingly as he attempted to stagger upward.

It was then he saw the assault of multiple Sachihiros and the spraying of water all about much to the shock of the shinobi "Whoah." he responded gazing in amazement as one of the mercenaries began to stir in pain. Xiao, admittedly, felt quite guilty about it all but it was a necessary evil to achieve the ultimate good, something that would work for them all and the pain would be temporary soon Xiao would be able to heal these mercenaries and allow them to feel the calming medical chakra but right now the two would need to prove a point.



1533

Spoiler:

As the two boys tussled with the enemies, trading blows and gushing blood, the workers began cheering the two on. They had come around, no longer frightened at the goons before them they surrounded the fight among the seven (now thirteen, clones included) bodies. Cheering on the youths as they struggled but carried on, clinging on to the little consciousness they could muster. They couldn’t help but be impressed at their sheer endurance, taking on grown tough built men. Rallying on the allied shinobi as they found creative ways to take out the wrestling quintet.

“I need to learn some more techniques” the boy thought to himself as he watched his six clones hold of the three men in front of him. Struggling, but with the openings presented in an outnumbered battle his clones made good use of them. The boy took out his kunai, aware that fists wouldn’t do the job well but as he looked back at his ally giving it his all, put it back away. He took the boy’s idea to heart, finding a way of least bloodshed and hesitantly took out his fists. He wasn’t one for violence either, but he knew that dangerous people were an abundance and one needed to take risks in morality to survive. Though something in him wished him to do right by Xiao’s wishes. He was a sucker for optimism, and could be easily persuaded with a sweet smile. He chuckled at his beaten face as the boys turned to each other, happily giving a thumbs up to his partner’s impressive performance. The two seemed to have opposing strategies when it came to combat.

While Sachi gathered himself, the clones did a good job of holding the mercenaries back. He had gained some experience from his past fights, improving on his agility and reaction times. Though not perfected as his fighting skills were still a long shot from reaching their superior Taijutsu skills, he had numbers and the clone’s jutsus on his side. As the two Clones dodged and weaved the already bruised mercenary, one found the perfect window to weave its jutsu, spouting a third jet at him knocking him back from exhaustion and gurgling the water that had reached its way into his mouth. Followed up by the two clones jumping him, with one being unfortunately defeated by his stray kicks whilst the other found a window to plunge a knee into his face, knocking him out.

While this was going down the other two pairs of clones had been fighting on even ground with the two mercenaries that were left fighting Sachi. Almost mirroring each other’s moves, the merc’s had the upper hand against the clones. However between the swings and thrashes amongst the six, the clones landed a few shots between the ribs and under the stomach as their height wouldn’t allow any blows to their faces. They continued swing after swing, however the clones’ blows weren’t enough. The men had stamina and power on their side and they each landed a right and left uppercut respectively to one of the clones they had been fighting. Leaving it a versus match between a single clone. They hadn’t risked doing any grappling moves at the threat of the other clones, but now they seemed ready for a suplex or two as they widened their stance and opened their arms at welcoming the boy’s small structures. An easy victim to be thrown half way across the bridge. The clone’s stood their ground, knowing full well the battle that might ensue once a successful grapple would land.

Once the Senju had managed to wipe off the drying blood he got back up, shifted his feet a little and proceeded to join in to the two man brawls. Knowing he wouldn’t be able to overpower them with a tackle, he flanked one of them and provided his clone with support. In the form of a groin kick, bringing the grown mercenary down to his knees as Sachi and his clone performed an axe kick, smashing the man’s face down onto the concrete leaving him out cold for the moment. He may have decided to fight a little more morally, but he needed to find chances where they were presented. Fighting dirty was a proper option in these scenarios. These men outclassed him and taking a chance like this in a fight was the best choice at success, even if a kick to the groin was the only option. The boy was brave, he wasn’t stupid.

Just across Sachi was the lone clone that was fighting the last mercenary that decided to take him on. The clone tried its best to weave around the man but it proved to be a failure. As the mercenary wrapped his powerful arms around the clone, screaming in panic, Sachi quickly reacted with another jutsu. Swiftly weaving the oxe sign the wet earth surrounded the boy quickly turned to mud and advanced towards the man mid-suplex.

Earth Release! Earth Flow River!” He shouted. It quickly swept the occupied mercenary off of his feet and onto his back. Covering him in mud and taking some minor bruising as the clone he was grappling elbowed his face just before dissipating in the mud. Finally Sachi and his last remaining clone had an opening and leaped into the air, landing a proper elbow drop into the mud pit. As they impacted, the mercenaries face was violently smashed into the wet earth, followed by a large volume of mud being splattered upward, covering the crowd of workers leading them to cheer on even more. The boy lay in the mud, slipping about at his own jutsu struggling to keep his own balance as he made his way onto the dry concrete.

He gave one more thumbs up to his partner as he limped out of the pile “LET’S GOOOOOO” he raised his arms and cheered on at the crowd as they eagerly cheered back.

1015/4409

Chakra 82/240:

OOC:

Spoiler:

He wasn't entirely sure how the genius of the Senju clan could still amaze even after so many years. It wasn't that he was that old but rather his love of history had truly shown him the genius of the great innovators found in the first god of shinobi as well as Tobirama who arguably was far more important than his brother in the development of techniques ranging from the multi-shadow clone to even the dead reaper seal though once a technique hidden to the secrets of the village its open usage during the great war had truly made these 'secrets' something of an open legend to the general populace. Sachihiro was no different than his ancestors, proud and true, a shining light who seemed to illuminate and push back the night. Xiao Guan had a great respect for the ancient ways and in his current tag partner he truly saw those attributes shine through. As Sachihiro made the comment of the need to find more techniques Xiao Guan chortled "Hey man, I'm just a doctor, I don't even have one technique" he remarked before patting the chest of the bested mercenary he sat upon.

He could have jumped in, he could have aided Sachihiro and the two may have shared that limelight but Xiao Guan opted instead to allow his friend to take the spotlight. He was truly a whirlwind of a shinobi and it was enough to allow Xiao Guan to join in with the crowd as he gazed upon the violent dance of the senju clan. It was something truly beautiful to behold when it came down to it. Something that, in all respects to the old ones, emulated what it meant to be a sapling of the god tree.

As the great mighty earth river flowed outward washing the mercenaries into a small pile Xiao Guan leaped from his acquired sitting spot avoiding the mud flow and allowing the five mercenaries to pile up. As they sat there for a moment Xiao Guan proceeded to crouch infront of Sachihiro looking up to him with a smile "Damn...You're living up to your family name!" he stated with something of a smile as the cheering crowd reached their peak of cheers. Rolling his neck he proceeded to make his way to the pile of mercenaries and crouched gently next to the leader who once so valiantly offered up his life so easily to protect this land. The thing was, this was indeed the land of the mist, but people who were not shinobi too often relied upon the resource of their murderous labor. It was a strange economy, but it was the only reality the shinobi of the world had ever truly known and so they had adhered to it. What hadn't been optimised though was the ability of those without chakra or rather those untrained who had never been given the choice to hone their skill. Xiao Guan thought differently, he hated being a weapon but it was the only life he knew but by his reasoning he could change the world one moment at a time if only he had the chance.

Crouching infront of the wolfpack leader he gently slapped the face of the shinobi causing him to huff and puff as he tossled his head to and fro as he awoke from his stupor. The droplet of the mist looked to him "You know we had to do it. I'm sorry if it hurts." he stated calmly to which the gruff leader proceeded to ignore "Let me tell you something brother, you've got nothing on this mad pack! We are the NEW WORLD ORDER and you are just RELICS, DEGENERATES who are lost to your own madness, Jack!" he barked to which Xiao Guan nodded along with as he noted the wounds afflicted upon the man. Weaving a swift handsign he proceeded to have his hands glow mysteriously causing the mercenaries eyes to widen "N-Now there jack, you won that gold rings fair and square! You aint gotta send us down Death Valley anytime soon!" he stated attempting to scurry backwards but feeling a mixture of mud and pain causing him to remain stagnant "Naw...This is a healing technique...you guys are pretty good, y'know..." he calmly stated in a soothing tone placing the healing hands upon the man's wounds as they began to mystically stitch themselves together "You were all about the sacrifice yourselves for land...and you've been attacking a damned bridge because it encroaches on your territory. That means there's something more here...." he remarked calmly as he focused on mending the wounds of Nash.

The gray giant began to breathe heavily that soon began to slowly stop into a more calming breathing as his wounds were healed before his very eyes "Are you trying to pull a swerve, jack? What's going on?" Nash remarked furrowing his brows. Xiao Guan would simply begin to heal the other members of the group, moving to the ponytailed member, then the handlebarred member and the rather macho member. He opted to heal them one by one as he spoke gently to each reassuring them before finally returning to Nash himself sitting calmly infront of him "Why are you so protective of this land, huh?" he asked bluntly staring directly at Nash meeting him who proceeded to avoid eye contact but spoke bluntly in return "...This is our home...The bridge...Sure it's fine for you Shinobi but to us it's a sign of oppression, jack! You come and take what you want! Look at you kids, KIDS! Sent out to do what? Kill a bunch of enemies of your damned government? Let me tell you something brother, you ain't helping us with this bridge, you're killing our culture by encroaching on our land!" Nash spoke passionately, the passion of a man who deeply cared.

"Yeah....Yeah, It sucks, y'know" the little politician stated as he began to run his hands through his hair looking skyward for a second "Sure, sure, we could kill you now. Then what? You guys die, your village gets demolished and we never figure out why this village means so much, sounds dumb as heck to me, y'know" Xiao Guan stated trying to find the words that existed in his limited child like vocabulary. "Heck I don't even know that word but if the Mizukage is really in cockaroaching your land, then why don't you defend it and explain your case instead of just breaking stuff, y'know" he calmly retorted as he looked to the elder mercenary with sympathetic eyes. He wasn't articulate, but his message was clear, this wasn't the way to do things. "I get it sucks, y'know...but how abouts, y'know, you come talk to the Mizukage with us? We'll sort it out the right way. Without all this stupid fighting, y'know, Come on, what do you say?" the little shinobi stated reaching his hand out to Nash in a submissive sign, his hand low and flat with his palm facing skyward to indicate he was the submissive in this deal.

Nash looked sternly at the shinobi, the embodiment of those who had taken his land, "And what if your little Ice Diva says No, huh Jack? What happens when we leave this spot, you expand? Huh?" he demanded to which Xiao Guan knew the perfect answer, without thinking he uttered it outward. "If these men so much as lay a finger on your land, so much as expand or touch their tools...then..." the kirigakure shinobi proceeded to smile placing his hand near his chin with a smile "You can kill me. I bet my life, y'know. That's how sure I am that they won't do anything until we sort this out." he gambled knowing fully well that this may very well be a terrible decision, it was still the decision he made causing the mercenary to look onward with utter shock. They froze for a moment as the elder shinobi frowned, grimaced and then proceeded to smile slapping Xiao Guan's hand away and making the sign of a serbian wolf "Sounds Tooooooo Sweet!" the mercenary stated as he grasped Xiao Guan's hand and formed it into a similar sign causing the both of them to begin laughing, perhaps out of nerves, perhaps out of something more, but for Xiao Guan it was because he knew he had saved lives and that, to him, was far more important than any other task in the shinobi world.

Standing to his full lackluster height he turned to Sachihiro "So Sachi my brother, What's say we get these badass fellows a nice audience with the nearest visier, eh!" the little spider stated with a beaming grin to the Senju Clan member.

[Exit with Sachi > Training Thread thingy]

-----
WC: 1533

Chakra: 200/250

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

The boy giggled at his partner’s quips, brushing whatever mud was left off of him and watching him kneel to the five beaten men. He was glad to have had the chance to go on a mission with him as it was quite uncommon to come across fellow shinobi who gave such concern to their countrymen. He watched patiently as the little diplomat did his work, daring not interrupt his act of sympathy. There was much more he would like to know about the boy as there was a compassion that he believed they shared for humanity. Although Sachihiro leaned toward a tendency of acting on violence when attacked, he definitely saw it as a needed action if the two were to be working together in the future. Xiao being one to throw less punches, he would be proud to stay at his side and defend him whilst he performed his medical ninjutsu. The protector to a protector. It was a fitting role.

He rubbed his nose again remembering that it had been broken by the short battle and forcefully snapped back into place, letting out a soft yelp as he did. He had had his nose broken before so he was used to making the adjustment, but it didn’t get easier. He’d make sure to keep his face safer if he was to get into more fist fights like these. Not wanting to bother the boy in using his medical abilities, he simply nodded along as he heard the exchange between the mud covered men and the boy. It was important to listen to any grievances your people had, a job most shinobi rarely did as it was more for those in the diplomatic professions, then again, Kages being the most prominent ninjas in the countries dealt with diplomatic affairs every day. He saw something of that sort in the little crow, there was no doubt about it.

As Xiao did this, Sachi figured he’d make use of himself and approached Goru and his workforce. The crowd that had encircled him now mostly dissipated as the rest of his men got to work whilst a few of them watched the exchange between Xiao.

“You two are something else.”

“Thanks” Sachi replied happily

“No, I mean it. Any other ninjas that I would’ve hired would have spilled these men’s blood everywhere! It’s not common that shinobi such as yourselves take such drastic steps to not kill. It wasn’t that I had my doubts, it’s just words don’t seem to come by some men so easily” Goru said taking a look over at the now calm mercenaries.

“Yeah, I see what you mean. I’ve had a few occasions where I’ve tried my best at dealing with issues with the least bloodshed. Though my partner’s usually don’t agree”

“Ha! And would you look at how this turned out? Hell you probably made these five idiots want to join the ranks as shinobi’s hidden in the mist. For all I know they might turn out to be better allies than enemies”
The two laughed at the thought as his partner approached him. Kindly nodding along as he further explained the mercenary’s grievances, followed by Sachi patting him in the back.

“Well? What are we waiting for?” he cried out “Let’s get these men on the next boat to Kiri. I’m sure Goru could arrange something for us.”

Goru and his men nodded at the invitation. They quickly set up a ten man boat, fit enough for the seven shinobi on board and sailed their way across the shore, making their way to the administrations buildings and in helping the men with finding an audience with the Mizukage.

632/5041


Total WC: 5041

Payment: 1 C Rank Jutsu + 300Ryo
Training:
Doton from D to C
Reaction Time from D to D-1
Endurance from D-2 to D-3
Discarded 5041 - 1500 - 1200 - 1500 - 450 - 325 = 66wc