Back to Kumo (Finally)

Continued from: Nagging Cat Yearns for Home

Advancing into the open Haven Country from the village gates, Reizo recognized the need to now suppress his chakra and did so. While Reizo certainly didn't feel all that well- being asleep for a few months would do that to one's body- he knew he had to get back to Kumo as soon as possible. He wondered if his friends had even noticed his disappearance. There was so much that happened at that party, but he couldn't quite recall any of it. He now had on his Jounin flak vest, so it was apparent he had been promoted at some point along the timeline. Regardless of it all, Reizo was eager to return to Max, Senshi, and the others. He couldn't sense any familiar chakra signatures, even with the passive of the Mind's Eye. He knew everyone must've returned to Kumo and didn't feel worried about them whatsoever. It did sting a little to know he was left behind in his comatose state, but he supposed there wasn't much to expect.

The blonde Jinchuriki had been asleep for what felt like an eternity. The mix of whatever was in his drink along with his body's constant struggle to keep the bijuu under control must've taken a massive toll on his body, leaving him in a coma for the remainder of the Kumo nins' stay and then some. Wiping the sleep from his eyes, Reizo began his long trek back home. He had managed to make it through the gates thanks to some help from a sympathetic boy around his own age. The boy was a little weird, but nothing that unusual, especially among the Hoshi nin. It was in fact this weirdness that made Reizo believe in some other life Damon could've been a great Kumo nin.

Now Reizo finally began to walk in the direction of Kumo. His sense of direction had greatly improved since his Genin years, and in this case he could at least remember the direction from which he arrived. How could he forget when one of the mothers under his care had gone through labor during the long journey. Picking up the pace, Reizo almost immediately reached his top speed, and in no time was bounding and flying through changing environments and terrains.

The path was initially very rugged. Haven Country bordered Earth Country, making the terrain naturally tricky to navigate and avoid injury. This wouldn't prove too difficult for the newly promoted Jounin, and he swiftly made his way through the arid and rocky region. His progress began to slow as the altitude increased, the air got thinner, and the climate got much colder. He was nearing Snow Country, where most of his journey would be. He remembered how cold it had been on the way to Hoshi, and made sure to have his thick cloak ready.

He made it to Snow Country, the winds fierce and the cold biting. The majority of the trip would be in Snow Country. His chakra was still suppressed as to not risk detection in a potentially hostile region, and Reizo remained on alert for any renegade Yukis. He wasn't sure if the country was still a vassal state of Kumo's, but either way he proceeded with caution. The Jinchuriki tried to keep up the pace, but the snow made it somewhat difficult. It had taken several days to get all of the civilians and wagons through this godforsaken area, but Reizo had no plans to take that long. He was getting kind of hungry however, and decided to put his Jounin-level senses to the test. He picked up the scent of what he believed to be a deer and sought to track it down to kill it for its meat. A bit archaic perhaps, but it seemed like it could be a fun little game. Plus deer were always a nuisance from what he'd learned about their eating and grazing habits.
It wouldn't be long before Reizo was hot on the trail of this deer. Within a couple of minutes he had located the deer, seemingly aloof from its bare surroundings. Sneaking up on the creature was easy, even with its heightened senses. Reizo was a trained killer after all, and with a quick flick of his wrist a kunai cut through the deer's spine. It struggled for a brief moment and then stiffened and fell over. Reizo then walked over to it, about 20 feet, and broke its neck for good measure. Starting a fire was easy for a survivalist, and Reizo was of course no slouch in that regard. He carved out some meat from the deer using a lightning chakra-infused kunai and cooked it over the fire until it seemed approximately the right color. Obviously he couldn't eat all of the deer or even most of it, so a lot of it would sadly go to waste. He spent no more than 15 minutes with fire running, not wanting to risk being seen by any natives. Leaving the carcass behind for the wolves, Reizo proceeded back on his path to Kumo.
Reizo would encounter no other creatures or humans on his way back home. It was incredibly boring and uneventful. He kept his chakra suppressed the entire way, and simply kept to himself. He didn’t even so much as sense another presence on his way back. Part of that was likely due to the harsh environment that very few creatures would be caught in.
Finally escaping the frozen hell that was Snow Country, Reizo finally re-entered the Land of Lightning. It certainly felt and smelled like home, and the Jounin was excited to finally be reunited with his friends. He couldn’t wait to see his teammates again, especially Senshi. Having pieced together some parts of his memory, Reizo could recall Senshi dressed in a dapper suit and leaving early; he wondered what that could’ve been for. Finally he would be back in Kumogakure; he had been gone for so long yet it seemed like very little had changed. Reizo approached the gates, anxious to see everyone he so dearly loved.
--- EXIT ---
1016/1000 words

Claims:
Back in Kumo

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