Gung Ho Grave Robbers [Mission, IO]

Mission specs:

Stat page:

A man on a mission, that would be the best way to describe the current Goto. Not only did he plan on returning Konohagakure to its former glory, he actually had to deal with a specific task as well. It seemed that recently there were reports that the graves of prominent shinobi had been breached and outrage started to grow within the village for answers. The deputy was requested to investigate these grave robberies and discover who was responsible and why it was happening. "A despicable act worthy of grave punishment", pun intended. In order not to draw any attention the silver haired decided to handle the case personally, any other shinobi he'd bring with him would simply be dead weight. Pun intended.

Waiting for the night to fall, making it easier to secretly investigate, the young Senju prepared to head out. Dressed in an all black outfit with a mask over his face, both to hide his identity as well as his striking silver locks, Goto now made his way to Konohagakure's graveyard. Knowing every nook and cranny of the village it wasn't all that hard for the deputy to arrive at the location without being noticed, the only thing left now was to lay in wait. 

(WC: 208)

Stats:

Shin found himself once again strolling about the village, sleep eluding him due to less than pleasant dreams filling his head while trying to rest. The pale youth would find himself munching away at a meal bar though he found it to be fairly unpleasant. Some sort of strange aftertaste was all he could notice. Still, it was all he had to eat since everything seemed to be closed for the night. His little stroll in the night lead him through the town towards the graveyard, purely coincidence that this same night happened to be when his comrade Goto Senju had been assigned some sort of mission. Based entirely on the deputy having not only been completely silent but dressed completely in dark clothing, the young Meijin hadn't a clue that the Senju was even there. 

There was a strange, distinct smell to the air, the smell of worked soil. While it was very possible that it was simply the grave keeper digging a plot for some unfortunate soul, the youth couldn't help but allow his curiosity to get the better of him. He would make his way over to a spot that had clear signs of something having been unearthed, the darker soil easily distinguished from that which sat and rested. Shin would grab a handful of the dirt, noting that no grave keeper had been anywhere around, and the plot looked to have already had a coffin in it, clear signs of attempts to pry it open though unsuccessful. 

Looking around, Shin would try and spot anything out of the ordinary. Perhaps he would encounter another, or even Goto. As of right now, he was just surprised and a bit confused what all of this was about. 

wc: 289

With nothing but the silence as his companion Goto would lay there in wait, wondering if the night was about to become more eventful than it had been so far. "Perhaps they caught wind of the uproar in the village" he'd refer to the villagers' growing outrage after the graves of many Konohagakure shinobi were continuously being breached. It was something he found hard to fathom, now that peace finally returned after years of chaos and terror one would expect it was enough to keep everyone happy but alas, they were proven the opposite. It even got to the point where the silver haired started to consider other parties' involvement. 

Almost losing hope of anyone showing up the Deputy could suddenly hear the sound of footsteps approaching from the distance. "Could it be?", using a couple of branches to cover himself, concealing his position even more, Goto would wait and see who decided to reveal themselves. "Hm?". Much to his surprise the silver haired Senju noticed it was none other than Shin, the young Genin who accompanied him during the event hosted by the Hyuuga clan not that long ago. Did the child also receive news of the grave robbers or would his presence simply be a mere coincidence?

It appeared that Shin was unaware of Goto's position, nor did the young Genin give the impression he arrived at the graveyard with a specific reason in mind. Wondering about the boy's intentions the silver haired would reach for a small mirror inside one of his side pockets, using the tool to create a reflection on the boy's face. Should the pale shinobi be able to pick up on the sign, Goto would motion him to join the Senju at his position. "Psst, over here". Assuming he wasn't alarmed and ran away there were now two of them to solve the case of Gung Ho. 

(WC: 314, TWC: 522)

Shin would notice light being reflected on his face, unsure as to the reason why. Still, it caught his attention and caused him to look in the direction of the Senju. This being followed with a clear verbal cue caused the pale youth to wander over towards the position that the deputy had been waiting at. He couldn't spot the deputy until he was alarmingly close, which he wasn't certain if that was an impressive feat on the part of his superior or he was terribly unobservant at this time. Perhaps it was a bit of both. Shin could also likely pin the blame on his lacking restful sleep. 

The young boy would quickly hide in the foliage, making sure to use it to full effect to try and hide his relatively bright attire. Making certain to drop his voice to the tiniest of whispers, he would address his deputy hokage. "Always a pleasure, sir. What brings you out here tonight? Are you staking this place out for graverobbers?" He would ask, figuring that might be why there was worked earth and no keeper. "Looks like someone was trying to dig up graves, though unsuccessfully. Judging by the shoddy work I suspect they are either untrained, very poorly trained, or stupid." He said, his tone of voice sounding almost as if he pitied them for how underprepared they took on this illegal undertaking. He almost let out a chuckle on that last word. Of course anyone trying to commit crimes in Konoha had to be quite lacking in the intelligence department. 

"Well whatever it is, you can count on my assistance should you so desire it." He would usually offer a bow of respect, but he didn't want to draw any more attention to the pair than he may already have had speaking to Goto. Unless directed otherwise, Shin would keep stay put, keeping lookout as best he could. He was tired and already completely missed spotting one person, but if this graverobber was as mediocre as Shin expected them to be, they would probably show up to the grave in a bright orange jumpsuit and shouting that they were gonna rob the graves and that everyone can 'believe it'. 

wc: 370
twc:659

Much to his relief Goto noticed how the pale shinobi was able to pick up on the signal, the light successfully reflecting on the boy's face and making him aware of the Deputy's position. "Likewise, young Shin" the silver haired greeted the Genin who had joined him, both of them now laying in wait, hidden from view and most of their presence masked by bushes, grass and a couple of branches. "Correct" he confirmed the child's statement, the purpose of being there to hopefully catch the graverobbers who were responsible for the uproar and the whole cause of the growing outrage in the village. "Or all of the above". Looking at how poorly they tried to dig up the graves, Goto knew they weren't dealing with any professionals, giving even more truth to Shin's statement about the culprits being either untrained or stupid.

The Senju continued to keep watch, wondering if or when the graverobbers would show themselves. "Your help is much appreciated, the sooner we solve this, the better" he spoke while placing his hand on the pale shinobi's shoulder. It was in Konohagakure's best interest to get things over with before sunrise, at least that was if they wanted peace to return to the village. A couple of minutes passed, nothing of note taking place to the point Goto began to wonder if anything was going to happen. Until something did. The temporary silence suddenly broke by a faint sound coming from the distance, alarming the silver haired Deputy that something could be amiss. 

Following the direction of the voices with his eyes, Goto looked to his left, urging Shin to prepare himself. "Shh, over there" he'd point to where it came from. If the pale shinobi did indeed look he'd be able to notice three individuals slowly approaching their location, whispering to each other as they carried some sort of tools with them. "We can't be too sure but I think those could be the guys we're looking for" the Senju softly spoke, waiting to see how the situation would develop before acting. 

(WC: 346, TWC: 868)

It would be very clear to the pale youth that Goto was on the same page. It was abundantly clear that these grave poachers were doing this the worst way possible. Attempting the task without the right tools... leaving behind a trail.. these folks were far from professionals. On the one hand, that was a good thing as it meant that they would be easier to catch and apprehend, yet Shin couldn't help but wonder what would cause a regular civilian to sink so low as to dig up a grave and disturb someone's eternal rest. Even if you chip away all of the spiritual and religious factors that would usually deter someone from doing such, graves held all sorts of unpleasant things. The putrid smell of decaying meat was usually enough to make anyone that smelled such want to vomit. Couple that with the fact that an untrained person would likely find little of value rooting around in dead bodies no matter what stage of decay the body was (or was not) in. A skilled medic might be able to harvest organs to sell to interested parties... but this honestly just felt... sad. And if they were aiming to just try and pilfer valuables from the dead, why target prominent shinobi instead of just wealthy civilian graves? Something about this just wasn't adding up to the young shinobi. 

Shin would silently smile when Goto placed his hand on his shoulder reassuringly, though not quite directly at his Deputy Hokage. Despite his usual state of unease, being around Goto brought a level of peace to the boy. The Senju seemed genuinely kind to the young man, and even though he lacked his memories it felt alien to be trusted and accepted in such a way. Goto might not have known it but Shin was becoming quite fond of him, and was slowly developing what would likely develop into an absolute and unwavering loyalty if it continued to progress at this rate. 

The minutes of complete silence would make Shin a bit anxious, waiting for something to happen. He wasn't sure what the objective was when they found the targets. The silence was broken by rustling and Goto pointing something out. Shin would look, spotting three tool bearing individuals slinking their way to the graves, whispering something indecipherable from this distance amongst one another. As they crept towards the graves Shin would draw steel, holding his kunai firmly in hand ready to end their illegal activities permanently. Goto's words would bring Shin to lower his weapon. "You are right, best to confirm before taking action." He would whisper back, never taking his eyes off of the trio of excavators. 

Once they got to the graves they made their way to the area that had loose earth and an exposed casket. They would size up their endeavor, completely focused on how best to break open the container. One would get impatient and raise his tool above his head ready to just smash it open, only for the other two to raise their voices in effort to halt his actions. 

"No, we have to be careful! Can't risk damaging the goods!" One would offer while the other mutters in a low growl, "Folks don't tend to buy stuff if its broke."


wc:548
twc:1207

Luckily the pale shinobi was able to hold back his urge to handle immediately, lowering the kunai until given a signal to act accordingly. Goto on the other hand, would slowly shift his body in the direction of the three possible culprits, enabling himself to follow any suspicious movements and get a clear view of everything taking place. By each passing second the chances of them being responsible for the whole mess equally increased, leaving hardly no doubt they were indeed the graverobbers terrorizing Konohagakure. Shin followed his superior's example, never losing sight and continuing to keep an eye on the group of excavators.

As the Senju watched the three of them make their way to the graves he was able to pick up on the conversation they were having, talks of needing to be careful taking out the goods. "At least they're not completely stupid" the silver haired spoke under his breath, only for those close to him to hear. Even if their act was despicable, it seemed the culprits were aware to tread carefully lest they wanted to damage anything of value. "I think we can be certain they're the ones we're looking for" the deputy whispered to Shin, reaching for a kunai inside one of his side pockets.

He'd place one hand on the ground, slowly getting up as he raised his body while bringing the hand holding the kunai to his side. "No need to follow me if you're afraid, I'll be fine on my own. After all, there's only three of them". As he smiled at Shin, Goto would finally make a move. With a flick of his wrist the Senju released the kunai, the projectile traveling towards one of the culprits where it successfully hit the shovel, effectively causing the man to drop his tool while screaming in agony. "Now now, don't tell me that's all it takes to scare you?". Revealing himself the silver haired then walked up to the graverobbers, confidently approaching their group and awaiting their reaction.  

(WC: 336, TWC: 1204)

The trio of grave looters were focused solely on the tasks before them, allowing the pair of shinobi to witness and watch, sizing up their capabilities and confirm or deny them their suspicions. The robbers were not as daft as the pale youths earliest thoughts of them, yet they still were far from experts. Their determination to avoid damaging the "goods" showed some signs of intelligence, though it wasn't the first thing on all of their minds or it wouldn't even have had to be mentioned. 

Once it was very clear that these were the targets, Goto would rise from his crouched position. He would inform Shin that the boy need not follow along if he was afraid, though Shin would shake his head. While he was certain that Goto was more than capable of handling the three nincompoops trying to raid shinobi grave, the boy would not stay out of fear. "I'll stay hear to provide lookout and backup, ensuring there aren't more and keeping the element of surprise." He would offer with a whisper back. The boy had no desire to make himself known or offer these crooks a "fair one". No, his instincts pointed to a less savory art. His thoughts were those of the assassin, keeping out of sight and killing the targets efficiently without them even knowing what was happening. 

Goto would startle the robbers, causing one to drop his shovel and cry out. As the deputy approached, they would smirk, "Can't you count kid? There is three of us, and only one of you." The mouthy one would look to his companions, pointing with his thumb and laughing in a mocking manner. "Get a load of this tough guy!" He'd say, the other two snickering as the one bends down to retrieve his shovel. 

"We are gonna hurt you real bad if you don't leave, kid." They would threaten.

Meanwhile, Shin would watch and provide lookout like he said. There didn't seem to be any others approaching that he could determine. The young man knew that the Deputy had been far more than a match for the trio of fools acting tough, but his kunai watch clutched firmly in hand. If there was any sign that Goto needed assistance the boy move in and launch an attack of his own... but only if absolutely needed. He wanted to see the Deputy in action clobbering these foolish criminals. 

Once they were defeated, Shin would do whatever was requested of him by his superior. "That sure was something." He would offer to Goto, the hints of a smile curling the edges of his mouth. "If you ever need my assistance all you need is but ask." Shin would offer, hoping that Goto would take him up on the offer in the future. 

---Exit, unless interrupted---

wc: 466
twc: 1673 (mission complete)

Claims: TBD

It appeared the three goons didn't realize they were way in over their heads, something Goto didn't mind in the slightest. "Well I guess we'll just have to find out, won't we?". Forming a couple of hand seals in quick succession, Rat - Ram - Snake - Tiger - Bird - Ox, the young Senju picked out a space 4 meters behind one of the culprits, effectively creating an expanding dome of pure gravitational energy. Those within the area would soon find themself  rendered completely paralysed. "Where did all that talk go?". In the meantime the silver haired had placed his hands onto the ground beneath him to create protruding roots that would grow and expand. Eventually, the roots emerged and started to grow around the graverobbers, attempting to bind and restrict them.

The three of them would beg him to stop, Goto looked behind him and aimed his attention towards the pale boy. "I think they have enough, what do you say?". Even though he'd rather continue torturing them a little more, the Senju knew there would be a time and place where he'd be able to have his way with those endangering Konohagakure in any way possible. "Let's take them in". The techniques he used had taken quite a toll on their body, making them unable to retailiate whatsoever. With the darkness of the night keeping them hidden from view, the silver haired would lead them to their final destination, prison. Once having dealt with the problem that terrorized the village, Goto would write up a report after thanking the young shinobi for his help. "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you for the help, Shin". He would then walk the pale genin home before returning to his place himself. Another task successfully handled, for the sake of Konohagakure. 

(Exit)

(TWC: 1500)
Claims:
- 1500 mastering Blast Wave
- 30 AP
- Mission rewards (6000 + 10.000 Master bonus ryo, 30 AP)

Approved