S-Rank: A Trip to Remember

Nietzsche had grown lazy. It had been a week since his last mission and he was genuinely hoping that there would not be any major ones for a few weeks. Though at the same time he found himself incredibly bored. It had been raining for the past week and Nietzsche had been confined to his house. He had spent that time reading. Reading was pastime that he enjoyed completely and utterly. Lately he had been reading a book about the times of old. He had just finished reading about a village long ago that used a meteorite as a chakra source and used it to make up special jutsu. It interested Nietzsche, but even he had grown bored of reading. A knock at his door broke his boredom. Nietzsche slowly got up and went to answer the door.

At the door was a Chuunin from the mission command who was in a hurry. The Chuunin talked rather quickly: “Nietzsche Mizushima, You are required to report to the market place. Once there a merchant will find you. He prefers his name to remain unknown. You will address him as N. You are then to escort him the igloo village. Beware as he is being targeted by a group of missing ninja: there is one genjutsu user, one taijutsu user, one man who can control sand and their leader can control the lava release. Please be careful. We expect you to return within three days time. Good luck.” The Chuunin then flickered off his doorstep and into the Mist. Nietzsche sighed: another mission? Shaking off his laziness he got his traveling clothes on. He then gathered all his gear and went out to the streets.

It was steadily raining outside and the large raindrops were pelting the few people who walked the streets. Nietzsche had on a long black trench coat, but he could still feel the cool air blowing through his frame. So a merchant needed protecting? This did not seem like a very challenging mission at all. If anything Nietzsche wondered why a Jounin had been dispatched on the mission when a group chuunin could have easily done it. Though Nietzsche did not really care anything to break his boredom. He especially looked forward to traveling to the igloo village. He had been there once before for the Jounin exams, but during that time he did not really have that much time to sight see. Now he hoped he would be able to spend some time observing the culture of the igloo village. Though the missing ninja he would be up against sounded rather brutal and Nietzsche doubted that he would be able to beat all four of them. He would have to come up with a plan to trick them all, but that would be for a later time. Now Nietzsche was in the market square waiting for his client to find him. It struck Nietzsche as odd that the client would find him, but he supposed the man he would be escorting would be rather paranoid about whatever he was carrying if he hired a top notch shinobi to guard him.

For a while Nietzsche stood in the middle of the market square. After an hour of just standing around Nietzsche was getting annoyed; the guy he was guarding was late. As he started to walk away he felt a small pebble hit him in the back. Turning quickly Nietzsche saw a shadow dart into a nearby alley. He figured it was some kids just messing around, but went to investigate anyway as he had nothing else to do. Walking into the alley way he found it rather dark and it took a second for his eyes to adjust to the dimmer light, but when they did Nietzsche saw a baseball bat coming straight for his face. Luckily who ever was trying to hit Nietzsche was rather slow and it allowed him to grab the bat and throw it aside. Then in the same movement as he threw the bat aside his hand dropped to the handle of his tanto. With a flash the man who had dared assault Nietzsche was on the ground with a tanto at his throat. The man had long black hair and was very pale. The man Nietzsche had trapped started talking quickly: “H-hey, you must be the ninja who is supposed to protect me. Sorry about the bat I just needed to test you. Can you get off me now?” Nietzsche was taken a back was this the man he supposed to guard? He seemed like a paranoid old freak. Though he did seem harmless so Nietzsche released him and allowed the man to stand back up. “So you are N I assume? Come on we have to get going I have a short timeframe and from what I hear we cant be dawdling.” Nietzsche meant the question rhetorically, but the man still looked at him oddly and asked a odd question: “How do you know my codename? Did you kill my real guard and now plan on killing me once we get out of the city. You want it don’t you!?” Nietzsche couldn’t help face palming. This guy was truly paranoid so Nietzsche decided to just be blunt, because he wanted to get moving: “No I did not kill your guard, I am in fact your guard: Nietzsche Mizushima. I know your codename, because I was told it in my mission briefing. Now may we please get moving?” N gave an uneasy smile and picked up a bag that rested in the alleyway and started walking towards the city gates. Nietzsche begrudgingly followed him; he knew this would be a long trip with this guys paranoid tendencies.

As they neared the gates N became more and more jumpy he nearly had Nietzsche attack the guards until he calmed down and check out of the city. Once on the road to the docks N told Nietzsche that they would take the long way there, because he feared that he would be ambushed on the main road. Sighing Nietzsche followed him; Nietzsche highly doubted that the missing ninja would be here on the mains island of water, but simply followed N without question. Nietzsche felt more like a babysitter really as he watched N creep his way to the docks. N’s eyes seemed to dart around everywhere once Nietzsche and him entered the seaside town where the docks were. At this point Nietzsche figured he should take charge and somehow calm thus man’s paranoid tendencies. So hoped that getting the man on to the ferry would be best: “Listen N I have some tickets for the ferry lets get going.” N let out a nervous laugh and responded: “No! I have already chartered a boat to the mainland.. You think I would trust the ferry system? There are thieves and bandits all around those boats. Follow me.” N Walked towards a small sloop. He then talked with the old man who piloted the ship. He then waved Nietzsche over. This N guy must be rich thought Nietzsche, because the boat was top of the line and once it was on the wide open water it moved with incredible speed.

N calmed down considerably once he was on the open water, which pleased Nietzsche as it gave him time to clear his mind and think of a plan. He knew that once they arrived on the mainland the missing ninja would be right on them. That was at least if they were missing ninja worth their salt, which the reports indicated they were. While looking out into the deep blue water Nietzsche thought of a plan. The first challenge would probably be the genjutsu user. He would be the first line of attack in all likelihood. Nietzsche would have to keep his wits about him or he might just end up handing over the person he was protecting. He would have to finish the genjutsu user as fast as possible. Then came the Taijutsu user. He would be problematic as Nietzsche was never good at fighting hand to hand. He could always use his tailed beast cloak, which was probably boil down to. Then came the last two challenges: the lava release user and sand manipulator. Those two were way out Nietzsche’s scope to deal with. It would be foolish for him to even tangle with them as it would spell near instant and assured death. There had to be a way around getting into conflict or at least minimizing it. At the moment the could not think of a way out it, but luckily there was still about two hours until he arrived on the mainland, which should be enough time to figure out a plan. For now though Nietzsche had some questions to ask “N”.

While Nietzsche had been thinking N had been glancing nervously out at the sea. He seemed to be getting more and more paranoid as they neared the mainland. The calmness he once displayed whilst on the water had diminished. Nietzsche wanted o know why the missing ninja were after this small little man: “Hey N? What exactly are you carrying that is so precious to these missing ninja who are after you?” N laughed a bit: “O-only the strongest chakra source known to the world. I am carrying a piece of a meteor that once gave shinobi unique jutsu and chakra. It has been my mission to bring this power back. Though my research has been wrought with failure and danger. The missing ninja who are after me were once my research partners, but they were corrupted by the fragment of meteor’s power. They want to use the power it has within it for evil purposes. That is why it is imperative that I get to the Igloo village where I can continue my research in peace.” Nietzsche remembered the books he had been reading the past week and recalled a meteor that had the same power, but on a much grander scale. Though Nietzsche was pretty sure it was a myth; he did not believe a word the crazy paranoid man said. Though Nietzsche knew he could not express doubt in the man’s story for he feared it would seed more distrust among him and N. So for now he just smiled and nodded. Nietzsche then looked out off the portside and saw that land was coming into view. Now he knew what he was going to do, the time while N was talking had given him ample time to invent a plan to evade the missing ninja. All that remained was for him to execute his plan.

Nietzsche went to the front of the small sloop and began his grand plan. It was a plan of deceit and trickery, not of fighting and violence. As Nietzsche stood at the front he allowed his chakra to fall into the water and come back up in Mist. This was fabled and powerful Hiding in Mist technique, which the Mist village prided itself on. Quickly the whole boat was obscured in Mist. It seemed that there was a moving cloud gliding over the water and toward the shore. From the shore it may look quite conspicuous, but that was all part of the plan; to draw the missing ninja in. Once the boat had taken temporary moorage Nietzsche slipped out with N under the cover of the mist. Though once ashore Nietzsche took N and dove underground. There he would wait. The subterranean jutsu was a wondrous thing; one, which Nietzsche thanked time and time again for having learned. This was a brilliant trick Nietzsche had thought of: it was triple blinded trick. He had sent out one of the boats small lifeboats manned by a crow clone in one direction. While the main sloop went under cover of mist. That Nietzsche hoped would divide the missing ninja into at least two groups, because there would be no way to be sure whether what they were looking for lay in the lifeboat or the main sloop. Now all that remained was to wait. Nietzsche maintained the hidden mist technique until the sloop pushed off so as to protect the old man and his ship from attack until they were far enough out of the way to avoid suspicion.

For a while Nietzsche could not feel anything, but then very faintly he felt footsteps above him. It felt like one…two…no three people. Nietzsche would have moved up and attacked if there had been two people above him, but for now it would be pure folly to go three versus one. He needed to split them up somehow and time was running out as Nietzsche could hold his breathe underground for quite a while, but N on the other hand could not and Nietzsche saw him already losing his grip. Somehow he had to find a way to get more air down here and split up the three people above him. He had one idea, but he really wondered if it would work. Either way it seemed the only way so it was worth a try. Nietzsche opened up small holes in the ground above him. The holes were small enough to allow air through and let mist out. There were thirty small holes opened up in the ground. Nietzsche focused the hidden mist technique through fifteen of the hole and left the other fifteen open to let air through. The mist above ground would give Nietzsche cover to start his journey, because when traveling at high speeds with the subterranean voyage technique there was an obvious distortion in the ground. As the Mist rose up Nietzsche felt the footsteps stop. At this point he missing ninja above could probably see no further than their noses; Nietzsche had kneaded his chakra thickly in the mist-it was thick. There was little chance the ninja above ground could see so Nietzsche took his chance and began the journey. He left behind the three ninja above ground in a heart beat. For now he had avoided them, but sooner or later he would have surface for the night.

The traveling was hindered by N’s lack of breathe at times. Plus he was not the best swimmer. So after five hours of traveling Nietzsche surfaced. He came up in a dense pine forest, which had been dusted by a powder of snow. The air was cold and Nietzsche was worried he did not want to stop here. An ambush could come from anywhere, but unfortunately N could not go on he was worn out and Nietzsche was not too keen on having to carry him. So he decided he would set up camp here for the night; not that he would be sleeping, but N did for sure. So Nietzsche quickly set up a small camp and then made a small fire for warmth. Normally he would not have set up a fire, but the cold here was unbearable and the heat was needed. While N slept Nietzsche stood watch those ninja could be just about anywhere and with the fire he had set up he was practically signaling them. So really he was not watching, but waiting.

The wind buffeted his body and it went straight through his clothes. He heard an odd sound in the tree above the camp. Tensing up Nietzsche jumped up there only to find an owl perched in the tree; just a false alarm, but it was making Nietzsche jumpy-he hated waiting. After another few hours of false alarms and sleepy eyes Nietzsche heard a clear flute like sound over the slight crack and creaking of branches in the wind. Then all of a sudden Nietzsche found himself not able to see. He had not closed his eyes, but he could not see. All his other senses worked, but he was panicking he had always fought with sight how would he now do without it. Nietzsche had no doubt that the blindness was due to a genjutsu probably from the that flute like noise he heard not too long ago. For now he had little choice but to fumble his way back towards where N was sleeping. Once he found him he shielded him with his body. He had to get the get his charge down underground where both him and N would be safe. Slowly the ground beneath Nietzsche turned to liquid. He heard N scream something about being blind. Then Nietzsche heard an odd ringing sound then a sharp pain in his lower back. Then another ringing and then four more. Each followed by a pin prick of pain. The ground finally became fully liquid and Nietzsche sunk underground. He then started swimming for all he was worth; all he knew was that he had to get out of here.

It took all of Nietzsche’s endurance and strength to pull N along with him. Finally after ten minutes Nietzsche surfaced and pulled himself out of the ground. Blinking his eyes he grinned the genjutsu had worn off and could now see. Though the pain in his back still remained. Reaching back with his right hand he pulled out the senbon that had lodged themselves in his back. Looking down at N he saw that he was unharmed, but seemed to be in shock. Luckily he was so paranoid he slept with his stone fragment. Nietzsche needed time to rest and heal his wounds, but by the noise behind him he doubted he would get that time. It was still dark out so when large globs of lava started to fall towards Nietzsche it looked like small suns falling to earth that must have been the lava release user thought Nietzsche. Though the globs were not very accurate and hit everywhere, but Nietzsche and N; unless that was their goal to trap them. Looking around Nietzsche let out a quick barrage of water bullets, which cooled the lava around he making it bearable to sit there. Though he knew that he could not sit there any longer or he was going to get killed. For the third time that night he sunk underground as a glob of lava landed where he once lay.

N seemed to be having a fit so it forced Nietzsche to drag him through the ground with him. This time Nietzsche was not stopping he was going straight for the Igloo village. To surface would be folly and would spell his doom. The missing ninja had out maneuvered him and out numbered him. Underground he unleashed his eight tails cloak. The tails of the cloak worked as propulsion underground. His speed increased to triple its normal speed. Above ground it looked like a moving hump of land. It barreled over small trees and left a clear path. Nietzsche no longer cared for stealth his only goal was to get the man where he needed to go. As he sped through the ground the Bijuu within him started to speak: “Mizushima my boy, why not leave the man and take the power he has? With that power we could conquer the world . You could make the Mist a peaceful village once again.” Nietzsche was kind of ticked that Bijuu would chose the time when he was most desperate to escape as a time to taunt him. Nietzsche hoped that the Bijuu would just leave if he ignored him. Though the presence in his mind did not disappear as it usually did. Instead the Bijuu spoke back up again: “Do not deny me boy! I have seen your dreams. You look for peace and the only way to find the peace you seek is through war!” Nietzsche’s anger welled over of all the times he would nag him now? “You Hachibi shut up and get out of my head for a while.” He felt the beast’s consciousness leave his mind, which allowed Nietzsche to focus on speeding ever faster underground.

He knew he was close now all that remained was to surface and entered the gates. So cautiously he rose from the depths of the earth with N on his back. The gates were just a few feet away. The guards there had been startled out of what was probably a quiet evening by an two men crawling out of the ground. Nietzsche did not take his time to sit and relax, because behind him he could hear the yells of the missing ninja behind him. With a flicker Nietzsche was in the gates checking in with the guards. Glancing behind him he just smiled at the group of the missing ninja that gathered at the gate. They would be fools to attack him now as it would mean instant death, because the Igloo village would destroy them at their doorstep.

Nietzsche had done it; he may not have beaten the missing ninja, but he had evaded them and that was all he had to do. He dragged the still unconscious N to the place he was supposed to be staying at. Nietzsche did not really want to stay long in the Igloo village, despite his wish to see culture. Right now he was tired and hurt and really for only being in the village for a short time he found it miserable; its was far too cold. So after he got his wounds on his back healed and made sure N was safe he prepared to leave. Checking out with the guards he dove back underground, because he did not want to have the possibility of a revenge attack by the missing ninja. Nietzsche hoped that N, or whatever his real name was would stay in the village; despite the guys paranoid attitude Nietzsche had grown to like him. So Nietzsche bid farewell to the snow steeped land of snow as he swarm through the ground back to the sea. Unfortunately he would have to take the public ferry back and not a posh private yacht.

After a day of nonstop travel Nietzsche arrived at the ferry terminal just in time to catch an evening ferry back to the land of water. He filed on the ferry with his head downcast. This he felt would be his last mission for a while. He grew bored and tired of going back and forth doing the will of his higher ups. Maybe now he could focus more on his team. He felt that he had been neglecting them. In fact he was surprised that they had not come looking for him. Nietzsche found a seat by the front of the boat and closed his eyes. He needed some rest and he doubted any of the missing ninja who had been chasing after him would have the audacity to attack him on a public boat. So he slept soundly until he was rudely awoken by the ships blaring horn coming into port near the Mist village.

Disembarking the ferry Nietzsche strode home. He had a plan for the rest of the day: he would go straight home unpack and freshen up a bit. He then planned to pay the Mizukage of the Mist village a visit. On this visit he planed to find out the plans the Mizukage had for the village. If her plans entailed war or not Nietzsche would take action dependant upon her answer. If peace then he would stay with the village, but if war then well Nietzsche was not sure what then. For now he was just content to have a plan. Having a plan always put his mind at ease. As for the first part of his plan it was almost done. As he stepped through his front door he took a deep breath of the salty smell in the room. All that remained to do now was to take a quick shower and go straight to the Mizukage’s office to find out about her intentions. Her intentions remained to be seen, but whatever they were they could very well alter Nietzsche’s loyalties and ambitions if not his very life. (4034/4000 S-rank mission done (mission detail on page before the link here) )

Approved

Rewards:

3000 ryo

and

12JP

[Its Raito]