The Hidden Alliance, Echoes of Betrayal! [Hiroya]

Missions' Catalog:

It's another day under the cloudy skies of Konohagakure no Sato. The stray, aureate beams that pierce through the thick blankets of silverish-gray clouds illuminate the village, giving it a lustrous glow that makes it seem like a place out of a fairy tale. The village is bustling with activity as its inhabitants go about their daily business. The streets are filled with people going about their daily lives, shopping for groceries, chatting with friends, or just enjoying the day. The atmosphere is cheerful and relaxed, with many smiling faces to be seen. The sound of laughter can be heard from time to time, adding to the overall feeling of joy and happiness.

The village is protected by a large wall made of sturdy stone. It's not only tall but wide as well, making it impossible for anyone to climb over without being seen by the guards stationed on top of it. The gate leading into the village is also heavily guarded, ensuring that only those who have permission can enter or leave. Despite this, there are still some people who try to sneak in unnoticed. They're usually caught fairly quickly though due to their lack of skill in stealth. Some of the village denizens, however, are sneakier than others. Sometimes with the aid of those in the know who both inconspicuously and nonchalantly take bribes as payment for their silence or in even rarer cases, pose as village authorities to mitigate the risk of being reprimanded by the village's laws.

One such instance involves two known kunoichi defectors at large recently listed on the village's Bingo Book: Honda Mashi, a ninja with no ties to any clan with a lithe build, auburn, medium-length hair, and green eyes, and Higashikuze Futsu, also clanless with a slim build, black, long hair and dark eyes. Honda Mashi's rise to infamy stems from her involvement with a group of bandits who were responsible for raiding several merchant caravans traveling through the Land of Fire. She was eventually caught and sentenced to death but managed to escape from prison before she could be executed. Higashikuze Futsu is a former member of the village's police force who was dismissed after being accused of taking bribes from criminals. She then went on to join Honda Mashi's bandit gang, becoming one of their most notorious members. The two have been spotted working together on several occasions, which has led some to speculate that they may be romantically involved.

As to how they found themselves in the Bingo Book of Konohagakure, the Konoha Police Force has reason to believe that the two have been conducting illegal activity involving the Noblesse clan. The clan's blood is considered extremely valuable and it's not uncommon for people to try and steal it or sell it on the black market. Thus, the Noblesse clan is known for being secretive and protective of their blood, and they take great pains to ensure that it doesn't fall into the wrong hands. They've even gone so far as to hire mercenaries to guard their warehouses and keep an eye on those who might try to steal from them. However, Honda Mashi and Higashikuze Futsu seem to have managed to infiltrate one of their warehouses and steal a significant amount of blood. This has caused a lot of problems for the Noblesse clan, who are understandably furious about what happened and personally filed a request to have those involved apprehended or dealt with at their discretion, so long as the contents that remain in the aforementioned warehouse remain intact and subject to minimal damage as a result of the operation.

The Konoha Police Force has tasked Hyūga Himari and Hatake Hiroya with finding Honda Mashi, Higashikuze Futsue, and their accomplices as well as bringing them to justice. They're also expected to retrieve any stolen property that may be in the possession of these individuals. The operation is scheduled to take place tonight, under the cover of darkness when most people will be asleep as that's when they're most operative. The goal is to minimize civilian casualties and avoid causing any unnecessary damage to property or infrastructure.

Toward the outskirts of Konoha in one of the occupied homes of a small community toward the northwest, a young kunoichi stations herself in her room with short, black hair down to her nape with left-side parted fringes, a pair of featureless white eyes, a soft facial expression accompanied by a fair complexion with a small mole at the bottom corner of her left eye. Her attire typically consists of a long open-sleeved, lavender-colored qipao with purple and white accents, fishnet undergarments, mesh legwear, a thin violet choker, shorts, and black open-foot sandals with her other ninja tools holstered at her left-rear hip. An engraving of her clan symbol displays itself on the back of her qipao's torso. Her village forehead protector wraps around her hips. Currently, she indulges herself in the slice of a delectable confectionary: a strawberry cake adorned with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. She takes a bite out of the cake, savoring its flavor as she chews it up and swallows it with satisfaction.

"Mmm...! Delicious!" She says to herself. "I'm glad I got this before the cake store ran out of 'em!" The kunoichi happily eats another bite of her cake. She then looks down at her plate and notices that there are only two more bites left. As much as she would love to savor the sugary goodness, it would also be a waste to let it sit there and let the jaws of time have piece for itself. With a proverbial, heavy heart, she eats the remaining two bites of the dish before she cleans herself up and cross-checks her gear before she heads toward the living space of her home to set out for her next major undertaking. "Okay, Himari! You can do this! Just stay calm and focus on your mission!"

After announcing her departure and receiving her mother's blessings, Himari makes her way out of her home, and into the main village and its streets. She takes in a deep breath and exhales slowly as she walks along the path. The sky is still cloudy, but there are, instead, some rays of moonlight peeking through here and there. It's a beautiful day, and Himari can't help but feel optimistic about what lies ahead. Remembering the details from the mission missive she received earlier today, she recalls that the crime gang's location for their modus operandi lies in Konoha's slums, a perfect place to hide from the authorities. She heads off in the direction of the slums, keeping her eyes peeled for any suspicious activity.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" One of the criminals asks. "What if we get caught?"

"We won't get caught," Another one replies. "We've been doing this for months now, and no one has caught us yet."

"Yeah, but what if someone finds out? What will happen to us?"

"Relax, it'll be fine. We've got everything under control."

Himari continues walking down the street when she hears voices coming from an alleyway. She stops and listens carefully, trying to make out what they're saying.

"I'm telling you, we need to be more careful," One of the voices says. "If we get caught, we'll all be in big trouble."

"I know, I know," Another voice replies. "But we can't let that stop us from doing what we have to do."

It seems she's entered the relative proximity of the base of operations enough that, to her fortune, she hasn't been caught by the presumed bodyguards on the lookout. Slowly turning on her heel, she treks approximately 40 meters away from where the conversation takes place and gestures with a seal of confrontation. Then, several veins on either side of her head near the outer edges of her eyes convex and flex, and her pupils become more distinct with renewed clarity and a 360-degree field of vision up to 100 meters from her position. Without further concentration, she spots a conglomerate chakra node loosely sprawled throughout in a rectangular area. Now concentrating her vision to pinpoint exactly where each one of them is, she eventually manages to identify their exact locations and numbers.

"There are twenty of them," She thinks to herself. "I'll need to take them out one by one if I want to get inside that warehouse without being detected."

Further concentrating her vision to locate the two aforementioned defectors, her vision graces her with the presence of one of them adorned differently from the herd. Although the kunoichi in question has her face covered by a half-ski mask and possesses long hair that flows toward the small of her back, her attire consists of a black bodysuit, a green sleeveless vest, and a pair of sandals with straps that wrap around her lower legs. This may likely be their target, Futsu, who appears to be distributing instructions to the other criminals. Scanning for Futsu's cohort, Mashi, it takes some time before she can finally spot the other defector, she dresses ornately in a dark blue yukata with white flower petals on its lower right side. She also wears a fur coat over the top of her yukata and medium-length hair that is tied up into a bun. Mashi stations herself discreetly along the perimeter of the warehouse, keeping an eye out for anyone who might try to sneak in.

"It's a full house and a party, on top of that." She murmurs to herself, kneeling on one knee before she leaps to a higher elevation atop one of the building's rooftops. "I'll need to take them out quietly so they don't raise the alarm. But, I should wait for my teammate to get here before I do anything." And wait she does while she ruminates about a plan of approach.


WC: 1,645
TWC: 1,645 (x2 via x1 Strawberry Cake consumed) = 3,290/8,500 (2,355 WC Conversion Remaining)
TMWC: 1645/17,000

Something about tonight was a bit ominous, the sky was filled partially with large grey clouds that provided shifting and moving shadows for those who had ill-intentions to use for their various thoughts and plans. Hiroya Hatake was one of those types of people back in the day before he had retired, using the shadows to follow and track those who had found themselves on his father’s list. The old days of endless monitoring, tracking, assassinating and destroying various groups and people all at the behest of his father. Hiroya was old in a world where growing old was a miracle for one in his field of work. There weren’t that many senior citizens still in this line of work short of those who were powerful or lucky. Though many old timers would say that Luck was a skill that all people needed but very few were ever graced with. After all to be lucky in this world was nothing short of being blessed by the world itself, it was fickle as the weather and just as unfair and disproportionate. It was something that you needed but relying solely on it was a death wish, the amount of fools that Hiroya had seen and dispatched that thought they were above the rules of the world were uncountable and many.
 
So why was Hiroya out and about during a time used by those who had nefarious intentions? Because he had been assigned a list of tasks to complete, they ranged from simple and unordinary to complex and required the use of his full ability. What he was undergoing right now was a few requests that tied to one another quite while, there had been some defectors of the village that needed to be caught and dispatched. While he wasn’t suppose to kill these defectors he was more then allowed to take care of the others that followed them. There was two females, Kunoichis, both clanless fools who couldn’t hack it under the banner of the village and decided that a life of crime would be better, though their “crimes” were of the lowest order when compared to what true missing-nin underwent out in the world these two still used the village for their hub and as protection from others like a group of rats hiding in an attic stealing from the kitchen.
 
These fools had been building a group of criminals and doing such had been stealing from caravans that came near their area of influence and it was finally time to smoke them out and return them to the prison they belong in. Hiroya had been told that he would be joining with another Shinobi of the village that went by the name of Himari Hyuuga, it was something to look forward to as he had looked over her profile before leaving, A close ranged fighter with a meek personality though had shown promise in both mission undertaking and fighting ability. A few notes had been left in that file by the old Warden of the Prison which showed the young warrior in a good light. So Hiroya was more then looking forward to seeing how this younger generation handled themselves when push came to shove. It was another situation of where his fighting instincts simply wished to test the mettle of more and more of those who were here to protect the village. It also gave more insight on why his father had decided to make this his place of living and stronghold. So many prospects to nurture into great assets.
 
The main focus of the night was to capture these Kunoichis, Honda Mashi and Higashikuze Futsu, while dispatching and warning the group they had been building from ever darkening the village with their shadows. Though Hiroya planned to simply not leave a single one alive beyond the ones he was meant to capture for interrogation. There was no greater warning then the complete annihilation of a group in such a complete manner that it dissuaded any fools from feeling to brave and safe.
 
With that in mind he made his way to the warehouse that was supposedly being targeted by the group and scanned the area looking for where his partner could be, it took a moment but there she was a distance away from the warehouse but not to far from it to weird and not to close to cause any of the members to get an idea she was there. Hiroya was sure she was using the Hyuuga’s Dojutsu to scan the area for those they needed to dispatch so he made his way over to her coming up from her side, she should be able to know he was there. “Have you located our targets? Do you know the number of them?” Hiroya asked in his rough and gravely voice, his eyes cold and focused. He was simply in work mode and didn’t care to play nice at the moment as they needed complete these tasks set for them quickly, quietly and without mistake. “How many can you take on your own?” He would ask as he studied the young lady in front of him. He needed to know if she would be able to take care of their targets to capture or if she could handle dispatching the underlings. That would affect on what plan he proposed.
 
WC: 893

Blessedly, she identifies another entity outside of her frontal vision. It doesn't take a genius to know that the newly found company is her awaited acquaintance to arrive at the scene just when she was considering an approximate time for him to reveal himself. And upon his arrival, for one his age and the gravity in his voice that comes with it, Himari quickly concedes to the judgment of Hiroya in this situation as an implied veteran of the same, if at least, similar field. She recalls from the administration facility that she would be paired with a missing-nin on the mission together—with explicit permission from the higher-ups to engage in the given, aforementioned activities. And although Himari had her reserves for concern being paired up with a rogue shinobi, she was not going to let such a thing hinder her from accomplishing this mission. As such, she would keep her guard up and remain vigilant of any potential threat from him as well as the enemies they're meant to deal with tonight. While they remain allies bound by the contractual agreement of the missions accepted, a looming feeling of unease continues to pervade her senses and keep her wits about her.

Himari turns her head slightly to face Hiroya, who is coming up on her side and stands upright. "I'm glad you've arrived," she begins, her voice soft but firm. "Yes, I have located our targets. Honda Mashi is inside the warehouse and Higashikuze Futsu is on guard duty near the flank of the warehouse, along with about eighteen other members. If I remember, Mashi is skilled in ninjutsu and fuuinjutsu, while Futsu knows bukijutsu and genjutsu." She pauses briefly before continuing, monitoring, and mentally mapping the routes of the underlings as they traverse the quiet alleyways and streets amidst Konoha's slumber. "I can handle taking out the underlings as long as they aren't too strong. Depending on how quickly we want to get this done without getting swamped, I can try silently taking down the ones that we'll likely intercept our path along the way. Otherwise, if things get messy, I have the aid of my summoning contracts to help us out if we need assistance."

Himari shifts her weight slightly from one foot to another, her Byakugan still active. She rifles through her pouch to unfurl a scroll and subsequently a kunai knife while she speaks further. "As for our two targets, we should take them down first before we deal with the underlings. They're our main objectives for this mission and we need to make sure to capture them alive if possible." She then knicks her left thumb, a thin trickle of blood pooling from the slitted wound. She unravels the scroll and smears along it as a puff of off-white smoke encompasses her forearms and two identical slugs appear on either side of her shoulder. They're predominantly white in color with three blue streaks that run vertically down the middle and side of their bodies from their heads and taper off at their tail. Their optical tentacles have a slight tint of gray to them and both also have two sensory tentacles on either side of its mouth. The slug on her left shoulder set about immediately healing the wound on her thumb in seconds before Himari introduces them.

"Katsuki," She gestures with a head bob to the slug on the left shoulder. "And Satsuki," She gestures with the same motion to the slug on the right shoulder. "I trust them a lot. Katsuki's pretty smart and helps give more pointers while I do the heavy lifting with her aid. I think Satsuki here will be able to provide you with whatever assistance she can offer. She's really great at water and lightning ninjutsu, and healing techniques. Here," She gestures with an arm outstretched and her palm open facing toward the weathered man. "Satsuki, please be of service to him in the meantime. Okay?"

"Of course, Lady Himari," The slug bobs its tentacles languidly and inches toward the open palm at the end of her arm as she gazes at Hiroya and bobs them again, waiting to be received by him. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, I'm sure."

"That's... about everything I know and can think of at the moment. What'dya think, Hatake-san?"


WC: 719
TWC: 2,364 (x2 via Strawberry Cake consumed) = 4,728/8,500 (1,636 WC Conversion Remaining)
TMWC: 3,257/17,000

The young woman spoke calmly that was a positive sign she didn’t let any nerves get to her and a calm mind and nerve was needed in this kind of hectic and chaotic world. More so when it came to dealing with killing and capturing enemies. Hiroya listened closely as Himari went over what she knew and her responses to his own questions he had given. Seemed like there were twenty in total enemies, eighteen of them needed to be dispatched while their two targets for capture where separated from one another so that was a positive in the variables. Himari mentioned how she would be able to handle the underlings as long as they weren’t to strong and offered a path of stealth on only dealing with those in the way first and if things went wrong she could have her summons help them in whatever capability they had.
 
She also suggested that they deal with the capture targets first before dealing with the underlings and while Hiroya understood the importance of making sure they captured the two women doing so without dealing with the excess forces would only increase their troubles, especially with the two women in different places from one another. Hiroya was sure that as soon as they caught one the other would find out shortly of their movements and raise the alarm. Especially if one specialized in Fuinjutsu like the records suggested, Hiroya knew there were plenty of seals that allowed communications between those who shared them. Himari summoned two slugs introducing them and what they were able to do, generally Hiroya would have simply denied the extra weight but if they were able to communicate through these creatures that would be beneficial in the chaos of the plan. So he grabbed the one named Satsuki and put her under his cloak so she would be able to stay in place when he moved. If they were use to moving with Himari then they should have no problem staying in place for Hiroya from what information he had been privy to about the young Hyuuga.
 
“I see you are able to logically think of a plan given the situation, that is good.” Hiroya started off as he looked the young woman in the eye, “While it would be great if we were able to deal with the capture targets first and worry about the underlings afterwards, that also increases the chances of being surrounded and defending “hostages” at that point only adds unneeded difficulty.” He explained in a tone that was instructional. “It could also cause the underlings to spread out into all directions and while I’m confident we could track them down, it would increase the chances of one getting away and I do not allow for failures in my work.” He said his tone a bit serious towards the end, the aura of a man who held himself to a standard that most would find impossible. “What I suggest is this, young Hyuuga, either you or I can deal with the outside forces and the one capture target while the other deals with the inside forces and the other capture target. If your summons are able to communicate with one another over distance or you are able to do so with the one I have then we can coordinate through them.”
 
Hiroya said as he gestured to the slugs, “I will deal with the forces on the outside and the capture target who guards the perimeter. Once I have opened a path for you, you will take care of the forces on the inside and be in charge of capturing the other target. They will be on high alert once I make my move, So move quickly. Move with purpose and Do not hesitate in your actions.” Hiroya decided and spoke with a tone of finality. He would not allow this mission to go down the drain due to a Shinobi who was not ready to end a life and was recklessly engaging into a mission whose difficulty was out of their ability.
 
Hiroya once he knew Himari had understood began to make his way towards the warehouse, “Satsuki, Make sure you hang on and do not hinder my movements. I will keep you safe if you adhere to this.” Hiroya said as he looked at the situation below him, the underlings milled about the back of the warehouse moving items while others kept guard and patrols, it seemed that most where guarding while fewer were going in and out of the warehouse. That was good it meant that he would be dealing with the majority of the foes and once he spotted the woman who fit the description of who his target was he dropped down from the roof, landing lightly and with barely a sound.
 
The old man drew his Katana and approached the first of the nearby patrols it was a group of two, they fell to the ground before they realized their heads had been cut from their body. Keeping up the momentum Hiroya worked his way from one side of the warehouse perimeter for the guards and took out every patrol he spotted opening up the close side for Himari to enter without issue once he had gone through about four different groups the others had started to pick up on something was wrong. Now as the time for him to move inwards and secure his target. Hiroya cut down another two underlings and he was now approaching at his max speed directly at his capture target Futsu, the woman looked at him and in a moment of confusion tried to weave handseals to cast some sort of jutsu. Hiroya’s was quicker and with a leg sweep the old man had broken the woman’s concentration and her balance, the woman floating in the air for a moment as it went completely sideways and the hilt of Hiroya’s katana struck her in the temple causing an instant knockout that only got worse with the force of the impact slamming the woman’s head of the ground. With a glance and a quick check, Hiroya knew she was still alive and that was good enough for him.
 
Now things were getting interesting the other underlings came out of the woodwork and it was time to enjoy the rest of this fight while he assumed Himari was taking care of her own side of things. He had dispatched ten underlings so far along with his target so that meant there could only be eight more underlings in the area. He only saw three here, which was great for him though he wished all of them had come out. Hiroya approached the trio with careful and calm steps, these were trained criminals but they were more suited for group tactics and Hiroya knew how to deal with groups quite well. With a smirk he sprinted at the closest, they attempted to throw kunais and shurikens at him but with a quick movement of his katana he deflected them out of the way with little effort. The first one went down with a cut across his chest, his insides gracing the cold air, the second attempted to weave handseals and fire a large ball of fire at him, Hiroya dodged wide and quickly came in from the man’s left swinging his sword with practiced ease he severed the man’s torso from his waist. The last man tried to run, there was always one coward in every group this large and while Hiroya understood the desire to survive he would not allow there to be a blemish on his works.
 
With the years of training and experience Hiroya smoothly and swiftly drew his wakizashi and threw it at the fleeing man’s back. Impaling him and knocking him to the ground, Hiroya took his time retrieving the weapon as he dispatched the coward with a cool demeanor. “We are done here, let your owner know if you are able too, If not then we shall move our target inside and regroup with her.” Hiroya told his passenger as he retrieved the woman who was still out cold. He tied her up with some nearby rope and made sure she was gagged as well to keep from any possible technique usage outside those who were able to use handsealless techniques. Though since she hadn’t used one when surprised Hiroya was sure she could not perform any but better to be safe then sorry.
 
WC: 1416
TWC: 2309

During Hiroya's oncoming approach before his unyielding onslaught of the masses, Honda Mashi and her underlings busy themselves inside the warehouse, preparing for the shipment's departure. The kunoichi is a tall, slender young woman with auburn, medium-length hair, a winsome profile, and sharp, green eyes. She is dressed in a black, sleeveless qipao with red accents and fishnet undergarments. Her attire also consists of mesh legwear, a thin black choker, and black open-foot sandals with her other ninja tools holstered at her left-rear hip. A forehead protector hangs from her neck that's gashed along the metal's engraving.

Mashi is a strict and cold-hearted individual who takes pride in her work as a kunoichi. She has a strong sense of duty that she carries out to the letter without question or hesitation. However, she can be somewhat sadistic when it comes to dealing with others. In particular, Mashi enjoys tormenting those who are weaker than herself. She also holds an intense hatred for the Noblesse clan and will go out of her way to see them suffer if given the chance. Tonight would be one such night where she would get that chance and make a killing off of their merchandise, enough for her and Futsu to fund their future escapade for months to come and make their silent exit from the village grounds to formulate their own criminal enterprise. If all goes accordingly, she's confident to employ a similar tactic and principle of leeching from known clan's resources to gain a financial foothold among the other bustling syndicates.

However, the reason for such haste tonight they must be quick. One of her intelligence agents a few days informed them that Konoha was sending out two shinobi to deal with the Noblesse clan's questionable shipment. Mashi had thought it was a joke at first but when she heard who exactly was being sent out on this mission, she knew that it was no laughing matter. She knew that if she wanted to get away from here without any trouble then she would have to act fast and make sure that everything went smoothly. That meant no mistakes or slip-ups. Thus, she's currently barking orders at her underlings to hurry up with their preparations.

"Hurry up, you fools!" She shouts at one of her underlings who's struggling to load one of the crates onto the cart. "If we don't get this shipment out by dawn, then we're all dead! So quit slacking and move it!"

The young woman currently seats herself in the center of the warehouse, surrounded by wooden crates filled with various goods. Her eyes scrutinize her minions and her arms cross over her chest, waiting for the remaining commodities shipment to depart. Several underlings are scattered throughout the room, either helping to pack the supplies or keeping guard duty. The sounds of battle outside begin to reach her ears, but Mashi pays it no mind. She knows that her comrades can handle whatever is going on outside. They're strong enough to deal with whatever comes their way. Besides, she has more important things to worry about right now than some petty squabble.

Meanwhile, Himari listens carefully to what Hiroya has to say about their approach and she nods along, acknowledging his points and agreeing with him wholeheartedly. Especially when he remarks on the gravity of "...and do not hesitate in your actions". Emphasized even further by his tonality, she briefly recalls her encounter with the previous four, rogue ninja she encountered during another high-ranking mission. It was a four-against-one scenario and were it not for her summons, Katsuki and Satsuki, especially Satsuki, she'd certainly not be where she's standing today. Throughout most of the battle, Satsuki displayed incredible resourcefulness in controlling the situation at a vantage point, covering her Summoner's blindspots, and applying pressure on the opposition to allow said Summoner's focus to not waver. Katsuki acted as an extension of Himari's senses, as at the time, she was still incapable of properly making full use of her Byakugan's features.

All the while, Himari needed to continually lean on them for support while she struggled to close the distance between herself and her opponents with how limited her techniques and abilities could muster. Even while she remains thankful for their aid in that mission, the silent yet unyielding pangs of ignominy still hold a death grip on her conscience. A Summoner's summons is meant to supplement aspects of their combat prowess to proffer leverage in their favor.  However, to have the roles reversed only highlighted her immense incompetence to not only self-sustain but also be foolish enough to believe herself ready to face a mission as dangerous as this head-on. As an upcoming medical-nin, no less. Thus, the Konoha administration faculty believes it best to have someone else accompany her to ensure the reduced likelihood of another village-nin's tragedy.

Tonight, she will not make the same mistake. Tonight, she will display a heightened sense of self-awareness and strategy. Hiroya's certainly no slouch and his expectations of her are set. Failure is no longer an option that happens by chance. It is now a choice, no different than one who unconditionally forfeits themselves to the enemy while at their mercy. No longer will Himari Hyuuga allow herself to be seen as a burden or liability on any mission. She will prove her worth as a shinobi in this mission and any other that follows suit.

"Alright, I'll follow your lead then," She says before turning back around and facing the warehouse once more. "I am ready whenever you open the way." Himari closely watches Hiroya depart from her side, his cloak billowing in the nighttime breeze as he leaps from rooftop to rooftop. Her Byakugan remains active and she continues monitoring the movements of the underlings as well as their two targets inside the warehouse, Mashi and Futsu respectively. She's pleased that Hiroya is taking charge of the situation and formulating a plan of action on how they should proceed with this mission.

Himari keeps her distance, remaining hidden in the shadows of a nearby alleyway while she waits patiently for Hiroya's signal. And she doesn't wait long either, as he makes quick work of eliminating the underlings outside the warehouse. The gruesome sight of their bodies being torn apart at the seams by Hiroya's lightning-fast reflexes is enough to send a chill up her spine and cause her to shudder. Himari only watches from afar, knowing that she would likely be no match for such a skilled practitioner and would most likely end up getting caught up in the crossfire.

While Himari isn't one to shy away from violence or death, it still unnerves her to see someone else take another person's life so easily without batting an eye. Then, another brief evocation unearths itself from the archives of her memory bank from the words of an astute medical-nin who once tutored her—

"That [embaled cat] is what you will be practicing on, Himari. So, I would advise you to get used to the idea that you will be touching a dead body."

The memory of this conversation fades away as quickly as it came, leaving Himari with a lingering sense of unease at the thought of having to deal with dead bodies. Nevertheless, she knows that it is part of being a medical-nin and that she must learn to overcome her fears in order to help others. With a deep breath, she focuses on the task at hand. Performing the "Dog" hand seal, another puff of off-white smoke envelopes her form and just as quickly disperses to reveal a more mature woman with a slim build, black, long hair, and deep, dark eyes. Her new attire mimics that of Higashikuze Futsu, consisting of a half-ski mask, a black bodysuit, a green sleeveless vest, and a pair of sandals with straps that wrap around her lower legs.

Himari's disguise will allow her to blend in seamlessly among the underlings and make her approach towards Mashi undetected. Once close enough, she'll take advantage of their proximity to incapacitate Mashi and dispatch the remaining four rogues that lurk within. It's risky but it's all she can think of right now. She has no other choice but to trust Hiroya's judgment on this matter. As soon as her transformation technique takes hold, Hiroya's already given her an open pathway into the warehouse, free of any further impediments. Now's her time to shine and to put her plan into motion.

"Alright, Himari...you can do this..."

Once more, she performs the "Ram" hand seal with her left hand, and her form warps and distorts before she vanishes into thin air. Fast approaching one of the open windowless sills of the warehouse, she reappears and lands gracefully inside. Her Byakugan remains active and deactivates as she scans the area for any signs of movement or chakra signatures. She detects five distinct signatures within the building—all five of them are on the ground floor and no one can be found—or rather detected—on the first floor. When she spies the other young lady sitting on the crate giving the henchmen an earful, Himari quickly deduces that must be her quarry. Scanning further, she finds traces of chakra scrawled about the entryways and openings, with there being more on the first floor than on the ground floor. Looking behind her, her dōjutsu reveals another seal was placed from the same opening she entered from, but it's also the one closest to where Futsu's originally stationed. That means Mashi will immediately become aware of her presence. It seems an act is in order and she must play her part to the letter. She swiftly deactivates her Byakugan and approaches as best as she assumes Futsu would approach her partner-in-crime: in a hurried yet composed manner.

Shortly before Himari's entry into the warehouse's first floor...

"Damn it. Mashi, we've got com—"

Are the last echoes of Futsu's voice before her mind grows quiet. Mashi freezes up when she hears Futsu's voice cut out like that, her eyes widening in surprise as she looks back at approximately where Futsu's last stationed. She didn't see anyone come in or out but that doesn't mean anything and whatever commotion is going on outside is quickly becoming a riot. She quickly turns her attention back to the four men in front of her, all four of them paying no mind to her confusion and, moreover, rushing to get their wares loaded when her eyes look their way.

"Futsu?" Mashi pings through her consciousness. "Futsu? What happened? Are you alright? Say something! Please!" Her thoughts are met with nothing but silence, causing her anxiety levels to spike even more than they already are. 'Damn it, damn it, damn it! Why now?!' She thinks to herself while trying not to let her panic show on the outside. She's trying to keep up appearances as best as she can but it's getting harder and harder to do so by the second. The sounds of fighting outside are getting louder and louder and it's making her nervous. She doesn't know what's going on or what's happening but she knows that something bad is definitely happening and it's only a matter of time before things get worse for her and her group here.

"Everyone, get back inside and lock the doors! Now!" A familiar, feminine yet gravelly voice orders the four men in front of her who quickly scramble to comply with her demands. They all rush back into the warehouse, locking themselves inside while they try to figure out what to do next. Mashi then turns around to locate the source of the voice's owner and sees Futsu walking toward her in a hurried and composed manner. The kunoichi sighs and rushes over to greet her partner in crime.

"Futsu," She begins, still trying to process everything that just happened and she doesn't know how to feel about any of it. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Futsu replies as she stops in front of Mashi and looks down at her. "We need to get out of here. Now."

"What? Why?" Mashi asks, confused by the urgency in Futsu's voice. "What's going on?"

"I don't know," Futsu says, looking around nervously before turning back to Mashi. "But I think someone's attacking us. Must be the Konoha rats they sent after us."

Mashi blinks in surprise at this revelation and realizes that Futsu might be right. She doesn't know what else could explain what's happening outside but if someone's trying to attack them then they need to get out of here fast.

"Okay, let's go," She says, nodding her head towards the back entrance of the warehouse and turning to face the other four men. "We're getting the hell out of here. Ditch whatever you've got in your hands and let's move!"

Futsu nods and follows after Mashi as she heads toward the rear entrance of the warehouse, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious along the way. The two kunoichi make their way through the building, heading towards the exit when suddenly Futsu stops while one of the guards responsible for locking the back entrance fiddles with it and Mashi, who stands perpendicular to Futsu, looks back at her, the visage of perplexion still riddles her countenance.

"What?" Mashi asks as though breathless. "What is it, Futsu? What's wrong?"

Futsu turns around to face her partner in crime, her eyes narrowing as she scans the area for any signs of danger. She doesn't see anyone else nearby but that doesn't mean anything and Futsu knows better than to let her guard down. "I don't know," She says after a moment, turning back to face Mashi once again. "Something just feels off... You." She points to the man, who came close to unlocking the door. "Stand aside."

The man complies without question, stepping away from the door and moving over to stand next to Mashi. Futsu then approaches the door and places her hand on it, concentrating for a second before pulling back suddenly as though burned by fire. She looks down at her palm and sees that there's no visible sign of injury but she can still feel the heat radiating off of it.

"It's hot," Futsu lies, looking up at Mashi and the other men. "There's some kind of seal on this door that's preventing us from opening it. Mashi, can you break it with your sealing technique?"

Mashi frowns at this news and shakes her head. "I don't know," She replies honestly. "But I'll try." She walks over to the door and examines it carefully, running her fingers along its surface until she finds... nothing. She traces her fingers along and around the knob for any foreign sources of chakra, concentrating as hard as she can. "There's... there's no seal on it. At least not one that I can se—" Suddenly, Mashi feels her muscles tense up and an intense, electrifying pain shoots through her body, causing her to scream out in agony. Her eyes widen in horror as she realizes that something has gone horribly wrong.

"What's happening?!" One of the guards yells out in panic, the rest looking at Mashi, whose arm remains outstretched and veins bulging at either side of her eyes as a partially defined pupil presents itself. "The hell are you doin'?"

"My job," Futsu responds gravelly. Performing the next set of hand seals: Tiger → Horse → Rabbit → Rat → Dog, she turns her hands' palms outward, then extends her index and middle fingers as they soon envelop her chakra into small, sharp blades. "I'm sorry for what comes next." This is the last remark she makes before she lunges at an alarming speed toward the man closest to her and glides her fingers across his neck. The reaction to the motion is immediate, the man holding his neck and immediately hacking blood from his mouth.

"Futsu?!" Mashi exclaims in horror as she helplessly watches her comrade slash at one of their guards without warning. The other three, still bewildered by the display, recoil, and 'Futsu' immediately rushes at another and strikes with her other, free hand another guard's chest. He quickly grows rigid, croaks, and collapses with only a whisper.

"What the fuck?!" One of the guards screams out in panic while he retreats backward, trying desperately to put some distance between himself and Futsu who continues attacking relentlessly with her chakra blades. "Why are you attacking us?! We're on your side!"

The rampaging kunoichi doesn't respond, ducks beneath the guard who spoke earlier, and delivers a barrage of quick jabs and thrusts along his inner thighs. The feeling in his legs becomes numb and he collapses to the ground in agony. Two remaining. The one furthest pushes the man next to him in the ally-killer's direction and attempts to bust open the back entrance to make his escape. A poor judgment. She taps her right hand's index and middle fingers along the man's abdomen and swiftly traces them upward toward one of his carotid arteries. Only stifled croaks and gurgles leave his mouth before he falls limp. The last guard is left trembling as he backs away from Futsu who slowly approaches him with a look of pure malice plastered across her face.

"Please... please don't hurt me!" He begs pathetically, tears streaming down his cheeks as he continues backing further away from Futsu who continues advancing forward with her chakra blades still extended outward. "I'll do anything! Just don't kill me!"

The rampaging kunoichi doesn't respond again, remaining silent as she continues approaching the terrified man...

"... Move with purpose and do not hesitate in your actions..."

With both hands, she swipes them along a Y-shaped path, starting from the clavicle toward the center of his chest, and downward just below the abdomen. He falls backward against the wall behind him and slides down to the floor, holding his neck as blood begins to gush out of the wound.

"Futsu!" Mashi screams at her comrade in disbelief. "What the hell is the meaning of this?!"

She remains silent and while the paralysis is still in effect, she takes measured and purposeful steps toward the frozen Mashi, dispels the chakra blades at her fingers, and wipes her hands along her vest. The look in the ally-slayer's eyes is reminiscent of a predator that's cornered its prey. She stops just a few inches away from Mashi and stares down at her with an expressionless face.

"You know what this means," Futsu responds flatly as she reaches for something beneath her vest. A meter or so of hempen rope wrapped in a coil.

"Futsu..." Mashi swallows hard as she watches her comrade unwind the rope and begin wrapping it around her arms. "Why?"

The ally-slayer doesn't respond, continuing to wrap the rope around Mashi's arms and legs behind her into a hogtie until they are completely bound together. Once finished, Futsu takes out a kunai and begins cutting off the excess rope and gestures with a "Dog" seal with one free hand as her figure is enveloped to reveal the culprit behind the massacre: a white and featureless-eyed kunoichi with a diminutive figure dressed in a lavender-color qipao and short, black hair down to her nape with left-side parted fringes... And a peculiar slug friend in white and blue on her left shoulder.

"Katsuki, please inform Satsuki and Hatake-san that Honda Mashi's successfully apprehended."

"At once, Lady Himari."

Meanwhile, outside the warehouse...

"At once, Lord Hatake," Satsuki responds to the request to establish comms with her Summoner. Her tentacles bob and weave. In a short while, she receives confirmation of the message's retrieval and a subsequent message returned in kind. "It appears Lady Himari and Katsuki have fulfilled their part without impediment and have successfully accosted Honda Mashi. The Lady remains well and so is my kin."

One of the doors around them suddenly swings open and bangs against the wall behind it, revealing a young Konoha Genin hoisting the second defector over her right shoulder like she is a sack of potatoes.

"Mission accomplished!" Hiroya declares with a beaming grin, looking up at Hatake Hiroya. "I've got Mashi right here, safe and sound!"


WC: 3,376
TWC: 5,740 (x2 via Strawberry Cake consumed) = 8,000 + 1,740 Remainder (0 WC Conversion Remaining) = 9,740/8,500
TMWC: 8,049/17,000

The confirmation came through the summons that Himari had completed their side of the mission. Hiroya nodded and turned towards the doors as they opened with the appearance of the young hyuuga who wore a big grin on her face with the target thrown over her shoulder bound. It was a positive sight, though congratulations will have to wait as Hiroya left his target with the girl standing there. He needed to check and verify that the rest of the underlings had been dispatched, He was the type that needed to see proof or he wouldn’t be able to let it go. So while it took some time he double checked every body there for signs of life. Most he didn’t find any which was the outcome he was looking for and those that had some semblance of it he dispatched quickly and with practiced efficiency. He was not there to torture anyone or prolong any suffering he was simply there to quickly complete the task and move on. These fools had made their bed and now it was time for them to lay in them for the rest of time.
 
Once he had completed checking the bodies and making sure the numbers added up he returned to the young Hyuuga, he could tell by the wounds that she was a close quarter fighter which wasn’t overly surprising given the Clan she belonged too. Luckily it seemed that she was ready to undertake these types of missions and had completed her side of things without hesitation or at least without any that caused a problem within the scheme of things. That was a beneficial note, it meant she was being taught appropriately and was understanding her place in the world as a Shinobi. It was not one where you could not give mercy and compassion to those who would without a second thought take everything from you. It was a lesson that everyone in this world needed to understand, once you had the ability and strength to rise above others only then could you entertain the idea of kindness to others who wield their weapons against you. So many inner thoughts and memories swirled in the old man’s head, after all he had grown up having survived a bandit group decimating his family, becoming feral after years of living alone and in the wilderness, being taken under his Father’s wing and trained to take lives with a quickness that most did not hold and he had honed that sharp edge over the decades. If only his body didn’t age like his father’s he could have kept that strength till he met his end in battle but he was mortal and it was something that they all dealt with.
 
Now that he had returned he looked at Himari, “Satisfactory work, Young Hyuuga.” He said as he double checked his target’s bindings and tightening what he needed to and picked her up throwing her over his own shoulder similar to how Himari was carrying theirs. “A bit more and you will be able to deal with situations like these without someone else being here.” He stated as he begun the trip back to where they needed to go to drop off the targets. “With this completed now we only have our minor tasks to complete. We have escort duty of some arrogant architect, figure out a “diplomatic” approach with some upset civilians, track down a missing group of shinobi and help someone who seemed to have been robbed and attacked in their own home.” Hiroya summarized as they continued their walk, if he had it his way he would simply dispatch the head of these unrest movement and put the rest in their places but he knew that it simply wasn’t worth it here in the village, a place where his father wished to keep as their home.
 
“The most dangerous task we have left is finding that missing group of our comrades. If they haven’t been found and no reports have come in there is a high chance they have been dispatched and we could be walking very well into an ambush. So be on your guard when we undergo that task.” Hiroya said as he looked over the young Hyuuga, “You have shown your ability to take a life and hold your own so don’t let your nerves get to you under new situations.” He offered advice, he wasn’t a cold individual but he was working and it needed a firm and resolute mentality. Once they arrived at the place they needed to drop off the targets, Hiroya lead the way first to escort this so called important individual, he wished to have these things taken care of quickly so that they could move onto the more important missions like the one where they needed to locate their comrades.
 
Arriving at the destination listed on the request scroll, Hiroya spotted their escort target. A tan skinned, black haired man who was about average height and wore the most obnoxious pair of metal rimmed glasses that made his eyes seem a thousand times the size they actually were. “I see this must be our client.” Hiroya said to the young Hyuuga as they approached the group of guards of seemingly disciplined bodyguards, “Well that is at least a positive, nothing worse then working with an nuisance with a group of fools who follow them.” He expressed as they came in contact with the guards. Hiroya handed over the scroll as the group verified their claims and with a nod they were brought in closer to the client who looked at them and had an annoyed look on his face. “You mean to tell me the great village hidden in the leaf could only send an old man who looks to be ready to pass on with the next gust of wind,” The pompous man said with a sneer as he looked over Hiroya then his gaze turned towards Himari, “And a little girl who looks barely old enough to have graduated from the academy? How the village must have fallen when that Aokidanza fellow took over.” The man said with the beginning of a chuckle forming in his throat though he quickly felt a itch on this throat only to realize that there was now a Katana directed at it and the one wielding it was that very fragile old man he had just made fun of.
 
“My dear sir, I am Hiroya Hatake, Eldest son of Lord Aokidanza the Hokage of Konohagakure. While I will permit some foolish words from those who waste the oxygen the plants of the world work hard to create, I will not tolerate the disrespect to me and mine. If you wish to arrive at your destination with your tongue attached and your head still upon your neck. I suggest you stand up, shut up and use your two barely working brain cells and start walking.” The words flowed with a calm precision, not a twitch or shake moved through the old man’s arm as he held his katana against the man’s throat just close enough that it touched but not enough to draw blood. Hiroya wore an expression that held a smile that spoke of joyous interaction but his words and his eyes did not share in this tone. The group of guards had their hands on their weapons but none dared to draw for fear of what could happen they knew they wouldn’t be able to stop the old man from taking the clients life if he so chose too. This caused them to give a cautious glance over to the young woman who stood next to the old man, was she also someone who was much more deadly than their initial assessment? Only time could tell on that but they would irregardless keep on alert just in case when it came to their words and actions.
 
The obnoxious man nervously swallowed the growing amount of saliva that was forming from the very real threat of death and with a sheepish smile he nodded his head and squeaked out and apology, “I.I.I am very sorry for my words. All this stress must have made me lose my head, let us be on our way shall we?” He said with his hands raised in surrender. Hiroya lowered his katana and returned it just as easily back to its scabbard on his hip and with a turn began the trip back to the appointed location. There had been warnings about the possibility of bandits or rivals possibly causing issues for the return trip trying to sabotage any escorts but maybe they had witnessed the altercation between the old man and the client, at the end of the day it was simply quiet. Not a word was spoke of the guards and the man kept his mouth shut and eyes on the ground in front of him. There was hardly an issue and with their arrival back and finished Hiroya and Himari had completed this portion of the list of missions to complete.
 
“Come young Hyuuga, Let us find where our comrades have spirited away to and as mentioned before be prepared for a possible ambush. Better safe than sorry.” Hiroya explained as they made their way to the last known position of the group. As they grew closer to the location Hiroya began to look for any signs of a struggle, or altercation regardless of origin. It would be better to arrive with the most information to lessen the chance of a mistake happening when it came to situations like this. There were footprints a few days old only visible due to it having rained prior causing the dirt to turn to mud and the tracks to have been baked into the soil when the sun dried the area. These prints showed that the group came this way, though there were more then what the number of the group was, with them also being baked into the soil it meant they had passed through the area shortly after their comrades. “Seemed someone was chasing them.” He said as he went through the signs, branches broken on nearby bushes and trees showed the passage of those in a hurry and without a care of covering their tracks. Following these traces, more began to show. The imbedded remains of shurikens and kunai in various trees and on the ground, a scorch of bark showed the usage of fire release techniques, the craters in the ground showed either the usage of earth release or a skilled practitioner of Taijutsu.
 
“These are to freely left, an enticing trail of bread crumps to those who follow.” Hiroya pointed out, now pushing his awareness further out looking for other signs more hidden. Something in his bones told him that they were not alone and while maintaining the appearance of studying the more obvious signs Hiroya spotted the shifting of something in the distance, a dark color out of place here in the natural foliage of the woods. “Prepare for combat and remember, Do Not Hesitate.” Hiroya said quickly and quietly as he dashed quickly towards the movement drawing his katana dispatching the opponent before they could react. A chorus of noise erupted around them as a group of 5 other enemies appeared around them some of them closer then others but not right on top of them. That was a good thing as it meant they had turned the potential ambush onto the ones who tried to spring it. A kunai flew towards HIroya’s head and with a bob to the left it flew harmlessly into the distance, Hiroya moved low and weaved between the trees using them to break line of sight and make it harder for his opponents to get a bead on his movements. While these opponents were clearly trained they just couldn’t hold up to the old man’s experience and with his half of the enemies taken care of, Hiroya checked on Himari and found she had held her own perfectly well.
 
With the danger of the fight passed they looked through the area and found the remains of their lost comrades, a saddening sight but Hiroya knew they needed to reclaim what they could and then give the location to the retrievers. Grabbing any information left behind and identifying items the old man began the trip back to the village so the pair could turn in the information found and the last known location of the remains so they could be brought back and buried for the families left behind.
 
Now all that remained where the two tasks to deal with the shinobi who caused the unnecessary death of a civilian diplomatically so there isn’t a civil war in the village and then finding out who attacked the man in his house. “Busy day, I’m going to need to spend some much needed time in the hotsprings after this.” Hiroya mentioned as they made their way to the last places.
 
WC: 2174
TWC: 4483

When Hiroya left to enter the warehouse, Himari presumes it's an evaluation assessment as to whether she's a competent kunoichi worthy of the title. It makes her a little nervous as he watches him enter, although Katsuki intercedes her thoughts with a question to stymie the self-doubt.

"My Lady?"

"Oop, Katsuki? What's up?"

"Your thoughts are troubled, may I ask why?"

"I guess you could say I'm worried that Hiroya will find me lacking."

"I do not believe he would have accepted this request if he thought you incapable."

"Yeah, you're right. It's just that I want to impress him, ya know?"

"You wish to be acknowledged by him?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Why is it important to you?"

"Well, because he's... well, to be honest," Her voice trails off before it picks back up into a murmur. "I don't know. He's not part of the village and I understand we're partners for our assignments, but there's something about him that reminds me of something... or someone. It's a little familiar but, I don't know how to put it, it's weird."

"You have feelings for him?"

"What? No! No! It's not like that!" Himari blurts out in a hushed tone. "It's more like he's someone who I can trust, ya'know? Like he's been through some things and has come out of it okay, I can imagine... I want to be someone like that too, for others to have that kind of trust in me when I'm around, ya'know?"

"I believe that you are already on your way to achieving such goals, my Lady."

"Really? You think so?"

"Indeed, I do. You have an aura about you that is very trustworthy and comforting."

"Thanks, Katsuki," Himari says with a smile. She then turns to the warehouse door as she hears Hiroya approaching it from within. Upon hearing the mild congratulations and further remarks, Himari's face beams at the remark. "I'll do my best!" This is the only remark she makes in an effort to humble her otherwise giddy confidence. She then listens to the rundown of the remaining missions left to do, thankfully, with possibly the biggest hurdles overcome at this hour. What remains are an escort duty of a famous architect with a huge ego, quell the unrest botched by a fellow Konoha Ninja that left the matter to fester, an investigation for a missing cell, and lastly, to retrieve clues as to the whereabouts of the culprit that committed a break-and-enter.

Knowing now that Hiroya is a man of business, she aims to keep up with him and adapt to his mannerisms so as to not impede upon his want of filing away the last handful of missions and relieve himself of his duties for other matters he may indulge. Whatever those may be. After dropping off their targets at the respective facility they're expected, the following morning, they arrive together at their next destination.

Himari takes note of the architect and his guards, and the subsequent dispute that goes on afterward. Before Himari could make a reflexive rebuttal, Hiroya asserts himself, and the tone of the exchange quickly shifts with the latter holding more weight during the conversation over the latter. Himari is quick to take notice of Hiroya's approach to dealing with such a situation, leaving her to wonder if she could ever be capable of handling such a situation in a manner so similar. When the guards at both ends catch wind of the tonal shift, their gaze naturally fixates on her next. She clenches her fists and rests them on her hips, and her countenance does its best to appear tougher than how she actually appears. Although the effort itself may be in vain due to her size, the confidence that surges within her makes up for the otherwise awkward power stance. The mission itself resolves without further consequence, thankfully.

The next entails finding a missing group of Konoha Shinobi who were sent on a mission and never returned. Hiroya notes they've likely been killed in action and strongly encourages caution above all else while operating under these uncertain conditions. Anything could happen while they're out on the field, with only each other as company. While on their search, gestures with the seal of confrontation and activates her Byakugan, expanding her natural eyesight up to 100 meters from their immediate position for any sign of advancements that lurk deeper outward. She's also capable of seeing through solid objects and people, allowing her to view their chakra network and whether one is in hiding. "I can't sense anyone nearby, but I'm picking up a trail leading further into the forest." Himari states, pointing in the direction where she's sensing the trail leading further into the woods, which also turns out to be the direction Hiroya intended anyway.

Further inland, they no sooner find signs of battle along the way and Himari notices relatively abrupt and swift movements within the perimeter of her enhanced vision. Before engaging, she heeds the same words that quelled any doubts about her capabilities. This coming fight will be no different and she'll make sure of it. Assuming her clan's traditional fighting style, she engages with the other half of the five with blinding speed. Meanwhile, the hue in her irises shifts from a white to blue and her speed and reflexes skyrocket as she lands a devastating barrage of palm strikes on one of the would-be ambushers before they could have time to react. The last remaining units, still in motion to prepare for their attack, are startled by her sudden appearance before them as if she teleported in front of them before their very eyes.

Himari is consistently aware of Hiroya's whereabouts and condition while he handles his own opponents. She's not too concerned about him, but rather more focused on her own fight at hand without losing sight of him or getting separated in the process. Not wanting to waste any time, Himari resumes her assault on the other two enemies with a series of kicks, punches, and jabs that are too quick for them to block or counter. While she's able to hold her own in battle, Himari isn't without her own share of injuries. She takes a few blows from the enemy ninjas, one of which gets through her guard and attempts to land a kick to her abdomen. Himari blocks it, as a spiraling shell of force appears around them, defending the user in all directions in a five-meter radius through her tenketsu, which suddenly burst forth from their nodes. The sudden expansion of tenketsu chakra catches the two off-guard and are subsequently caught in the attack's range before they're blown away and collide with the forestry's foliage.

They're able to subdue them without much difficulty and Himari is quick to determine whether or not they're dead or unconscious before making any further moves. After they scour their assailants for any relevant information, they stride their way toward the main village to turn in whatever information they can find on hand and the aftermath cleanup of the events that transpired since. This left with only two more missions to complete: subduing the ongoing civil unrest from the death of a village civilian and an investigation of a broken-into home.

Himari nods in agreement, "That sounds like a good idea. I could use some relaxation myself." She says while wrapping her hands behind her back and interlacing her fingers together as they strode toward their final duet of missions together.


WC: 1,252
TWC: 6,946 (x2 via Strawberry Cake consumed) = 8,000 + 2,946 Remainder (0 WC Conversion Remaining) = 10,946
TMWC: 11,475/17,000