---

It had been almost a millennia since the great Sage of the Six Paths had bestowed upon the Shinobi world the knowledge of Ninshu. The power to connect oneself to another by the chakra that composed the world and the energy that gorged the lands with life. The world as our heroes know it has been molded by the teachings of the sage, bent or kept true to the original concepts. Ninjutsu was the true end-result of these teachings, a great tool that could be used for many great things, just as it could be used for terrible things. Many would say the pros outweigh the cons, and in the end, there will always be someone to wrong others with just about anything that could be turned into a weapon.

The world is not just the known Shinobi world, however. There exist many lands, some of which had been blessed by Hagoromo in his many adventures, while others did not get this chance before he'd succumb to his own mortality. Today, our heroes will discover just what kind of world is left behind, one forgotten by the Gods and left to to fend off the world on its own. A world which they don't even have a true name for, other than the 'New Continent'.

Formed two centuries following the formation of Konohagakure, the nation hidden under the rain was founded by many who rejected the rites and customs of the growing powerhouses in the Shinobi world. They would come to form a peculiar city, one made of metal and concealed behind the unique usage of rain by the first founding father. It prospered as its own, isolated power though with little workable land surrounding it, preventing any violent expansion. Farmlands were drowned by endless drizzles while other trades were dominated by neighboring nations.

So instead of trying to establish itself internationally, Ame's unique structures and engineering knowledge from the Sunagakure outcasts would lead to the Pipe-like architecture it still holds today. With its powerful industry, it was ahead of other nations and could be self-sufficient for generations. It stagnated to an extent, but its existence was ensured in the face of a world that could so easily destroy them should they have had anything of value behind what they hid behind the rain.

Fast forward to the Second Great Shinobi War, thirty years in with no end in sight, Konohagakure along with the help of Kirigakure and Sunagakure form the 'Rainfall' initiative. Consisting of establishing an international Organization of the same name in Amegakure that would allow every nation to be represented on neutral, but controlled grounds. While not exactly an invasion, many of Amegakure protested this approach, though with The Empire's violent expansion during the war effort, there was enough incentive to compromise.

Amegakure today is a sort of hub. Getting nationality there is near impossible but trading and political summits have exploded, bringing enormous value to the nation. As of now, it is the biggest city in the entire Shinobi world, with a center more urbanized and innumerable acres of industrial land surrounding it. Smog perpetually covers the skies and has brought forth unnerving acidic rain the past twenty years. No one comes here for vacation, you're here for business or to attend talks. Or you so happen to be from here.

In any case, you in particular, are here for a very specific job.

---

Two months after a particularly unsettling wave of terrorist attacks in every great nation, you are summoned to Amegakure with the goal clearly set for you to absorb. You are to discover the land little to no one ever talks about. The New Continent. How it connects to the bizarre plague that had ravaged smaller city-blocks and suburbs is completely up in the air. Maybe it didn't have any relation at all. But you remember it. The Quarantines and the very hush-hush nature of it all. No one you truly knew was affected, otherwise you wouldn't have had the chance to attend this mission after all.

You are flown in along with other Shinobi and odd figures on a large VTOL craft from your capital city. The trip is relatively short, after all these are quality ships for quality goods. When Ame's atmosphere is penetrated, you can feel the unusually polluted air fill your lungs and burn your nostrils. It's unpleasant, along with the humidity in warm days. It was one of these times were the City was at its worse, but you weren't here to enjoy the foreign land. You have a job to do and it didn't involve Amegakure from what you knew.

A stay in a hotel near the Great Hall would be granted to you while the brief date comes. No more than a couple of days really, but enough for you to relax and prepare yourself for the upcoming challenge. Probably the most dangerous mission of your life. You've had all your life to prepare yourself for this, something none of your ancestors had the chance to do.

---

It is time. The due date you had been anticipating. That everyone was anticipating. Every participating Shinobi would be gathered in a sort of Amphitheater, each row occupied by a team. There were more than four squads, though some had more important tasks than others. But the others did not matter; what did was your own squad. Those sitting next to you, assigned to a specific seat number where you would face a blank, white screen with a uniformed Sunagakure Jonin standing stiff before you all. His expression was void of any emotion or reaction from the presence of the fresh Shinobi.

The briefing was going to start soon and after that, there would be no time for chit-chat and preparation. You should be equipped with everything you need and ready to fight the good fight on the way out. You already knew the procedure. What you lacked was any sort of tangible context behind this expedition or why it's a thing all of a sudden. Answers were coming, but are you prepared? Are you colleagues ready for this? Do you even know them? How do you feel about putting your life between their hands in the midst of the most mysterious lands on this world? The Head-Jonin was about to commence the brief.

---

Jinzo remained silent as he stared at his own reflection in the mirror, droplets of water still trickling down his face until they inevitably dripped from his chin and splashed into the basin, filling the bathroom with several echoing plop, plop, plop sounds. He stayed that way for some time, though he wasn't really sure of the reason why, before plunging his cupped hands into the luke-warm water that he'd filled the sink with and brought them up to meet his face once again. He resumed staring at himself soon after, looking intensely as the water trickled down his face once more. "I am Jinzo Kurogama." He finally said to himself.

The statement seemed to satisfy him, as he grabbed a nearby handtowel and proceeded to wipe his face dry. He felt refreshed from his morning stretches, followed by a light workout and a wash which was a relief given that he hadn't been able to sleep much during the night due to his excitement. Quickly discarding the towel after he was done, Jinzo walked out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom/living area of the hotel suite he'd been sent to stay in. It wasn't much but it was fine for the few days he'd been staying in the Land of Rain. Besides, the Empire wouldn't very well fork out for a top-of-the-line room just to suit his tastes. Not that Jinzo had much in the way of taste, the room was perfect for all of his needs.

Quickly, and silently, he changed into his new Tiger Division attire. His old garments had finally worn out their welcome and his superiors had gifted him with a new set. Again, they weren't anything too flashy but they looked smart and efficient, exactly how Jinzo had intended to present himself. After all, he was acting as a representative of the Empire now, alongside several of his countrymen. He couldn't exactly turn up wearing half-bloodied clothing to such a momentous occasion. Jinzo had tried not to think too much about it up until that point. This would be the first time in history where the Five Great Nations would be working together in tandem towards the same goal, or so they said. His mind drifted back to days spent cleaning bodies off of battlefields. The gravity of today's briefing was not lost on him.

Turning to face a full-length mirror that hung on the wall next to the door, Jinzo inspected his appearance for a few moments. Satisfied with his efforts, he let out a near-silent hmph accompanied by a nod. Which left only one final thing; his mask. Retrieving it from its stand atop his bedside cabinet, Jinzo gave the face a once-over for any knicks or scratches. He'd polished it the night before, but he was always very particular about it. Flipping it over in his hands, Jinzo carefully brought it up to cover his face, adjusting it slightly for comfort, before raising his hood over his head. He glanced at himself in the mirror once again. He was Jinzo Kurogama no longer. Now, he was simply Homuru.

---

For one of the very few times in his life, Jinzo felt nervous. Good or bad, he couldn't quite tell. But the sheer buzz of energy that filled the large hall put him on edge. Several people were still filing in when he finally took his seat, allocated to him by some random coordinator after ascertaining who he was. "Homuru, of the Empire of Stone." He'd told them, which seemed sufficient enough. The girl probably wasn't expecting anyone to be wearing a mask to an event such as this, which explained her confused expression and the subsequent turn towards her supervisor for help. The man, several years her senior, simply nodded, no doubt having been informed beforehand.

As he sat waiting, Jinzo bounced his knee repeatedly. A clear sign of his uneasiness. He looked at the several seats gradually filling up around him, although the three to his right remained empty. They were reserved for his future squadmates, none of whom had turned up just yet. Not that he was aware of the appearances of two of them anyway, given that he was only familiar with one member of his team. Boshu's inclusion as his squadmate eased him slightly. She was a fellow Tiger Division Agent and his senior in both age and experience, though not by much. It gave him a point of trust, someone he could rely on to have his back if things went sideways, as they often did.

The other two he was unsure of. From what he'd been told, they were each shinobi from Kirigakure and Kumogakure, respectively, which gave him and Boshu the upper-hand when it came to group dynamics. Jinzo thought it only natural that they'd stick together, whereas the other two would effectively be on their own. He shook his head before he continued with this thought-process. This wasn't the time to be drawing lines in the sand. Countryman or not, they would be a part of his team, and he would simply have to treat them as such. After all, it was the mission that came first.

---

The VTOL aircraft had lived up to every expectation, but being from the Empire of Stone, Sakana knew full well what the luxuries of the aircraft entailed. At almost precisely 4.30 they had touch down, and Sakana was allowed to get off the aircraft. It was faster than traveling by foot - only by a little - but it was indefinitely more relaxing, and saved on stamina quite a bit. “Good afternoon, mr. Uragiri,” one of the attendants said, bowing politely and far deeper than she had to for the otherwise unremarkable boy. “If you would just follow me this way,” she proceeded, standing up straight again and gesturing to the stairs off the landing pad. “We're a small walk away from the hotel where you will be staying alongside your companions for the duration of your stay.”

Sakana struck a casual pose, holding his two hands in his pockets while he ogled the greeter up and down. Finally, he raised his one hand up, taking the wooden toothpick from his mouth and slowly lowering it, before shooting it off with his finger. “Hai. Thank you.” Following the woman down the stairs into the streets of Amegakure, Sakana was ill impressed with the location. He'd been here before, as an envoy of the Empire of Stone. That was back when they still referred to him as 'that one kid with a deathwish,' where he was treated like some proof of the Raijin Dynasties' savageness. To send a young kid, barely 14, out into the fields of war with a seal that activated when he died? Truly savage. By now they had learned that that had nothing to do with the Raijin dynasties, and everything with Sakana himself.

Was that why he was sent here? As an insult to the Raijin Dynasty? A reminder that their banished soldiers would find a home in Iwagakure, and flourish there? Sakana had his doubts that the Raijin Dynasties would even remember his name, let alone his face. As uncommon as the duels were to challenge the leading dynasties, there were plenty of other reasons to get banished and marked with a cross. Desertion. Cowardice. Incompetence. Any reason the superiors wanted you banished for, it’d be enough. Most of the banished people didn’t make it out alive, being free game. Sakana had gotten lucky that the Iwagakure nin he found didn’t kill him on sight, but rather took him in. Now, he was standing in Amegakure. “This is fate,” he reminded himself.

A new era was about to begin. He would be at the vanguard.

---

It seemed that Iwagakure had spared every expense they could, as the room Sakana had been given was rather spartanesque. Though it was far from the tribal housing in the Raijin Dynasties, it wasn’t the comfort of the Empire of Stone that he was used to. This mattered very little, if at all, to Sakana. He was here for soldiering, not to take a vacation. As soon as he got up, he ate breakfast, showered, brushed his teeth and combed his hair meticulously.

He then got dressed, putting on a black mesh wifebeater, before pulling the Iwagakure flak vest over it. He loaded the front pouch with kunai, explosive tags, and other goods, then adjusted the vest until it sat comfortably with the new weight. He wore the standard shinobi slacks and sandals, with his Iwagakure shinobi headband hanging from a belt loop. It was yet another reminder that he had had conflicting allegiances – an Iwagakure headband, a Raijin mark of banishment. Last, he pulled on his long gloves that reached up to just below his shoulders, with the fingers cut off so that he could feel and form handseals just as effectively.

All in all, he took his time getting ready, and he ended up leaving at 8.30, or something around that time.

---

The coordinator at the entrance proved to be quite organized, as a simple affirmation of an image on her PDA, as well as Sakana providing her his name was enough to let him in. He was given some number, which corresponded to a seating arrangement of sorts, no doubt for his team, so he proceeded to his seat without any interaction with anyone else. From the corner of his eye he caught the looks of someone he recognized, a man whose name he only knew as Homuru, recognized by his mask and jacket. He was with the ANBU, or more specifically, the Tiger Division, as far as Sakana knew. What the specifics were of that, he could not tell. What Sakana could tell was that Homuru was a skilled individual, because only competent people made it to the Tiger Division.

Sakana found his seat slightly behind and to the right of Homuru, in a different area from Homuru completely, barring any conversation between them – not that either of them were going to be interested in talking, most likely. Sakana sat down with his unnaturally calm composure, not even batting an eye as more people entered. Kuro was quick to follow his entry, and was someone Sakana was more familiar with than this Homuru. Miyako Kurosawa would’ve been easy to mistake for an Uragiri, had she had black eyes. Her black hair matched that of Sakana both in color and length, and their black clothing matched as well, as if they’d color coordinated. “Miyako,” Sakana greeted her, whenever she’d arrive, though not much else could be said, as Sakana wasn’t innately familiar with Miyako as a person. He simply knew of her.

The two other shinobi on their team were from Kirigakure and, inevitably, meant that Sakana could do little else than to regard them as hired swords. Unreliable, stubborn and untrained in organized warfare. They were no doubt here just to fill the ranks, to guard the caravan and protect non-shinobi personnel. Whenever these two, namely Shinji and Koko, would enter, they’d find Sakana’s black eyes resting on them, inspecting them without as much as a word. Withholding his commentary for now, he simply regarded them, waiting for them to speak up and introduce themselves.

Shinji Yuki arrived to the hotel almost exactly at eight o'clock after midnight. Shinji originally arrived at thirty minutes ago but he enter until he had looked at all the exits, windows and each floor. If he was suppose to stay here he was going to make sure he knew what he was walking into and note all possible ways to get out should things not be as they seemed. Shinji entered and only asked for where his room was and went there without much of a conversation. Getting straight to business and straight to the point.

Once he got to his assigned room he opens the door and just stands there with the door open for a few moments before entering. He didnt have many belongings he brought. Shinji has his three swords and one dufflebag of clothing containing the same clothes he was wearing now. Although his clothes in the bag were at least dry. Shinji contemplated where or not he should change clothing but decided there was no point the rain would get those clothes too before he could make it to the great hall where he is suppose to go any way it was only a bit of water from the rain it wasnt that big of a deal to him. Tossing his bag onto the bed he leaves. Had no reason to stop, might as well get to the great hall and continue the mission he was assigned too.



Almost rather autonomous Shinji made his way to the great hall. Taking in his surroundings of this village. Shinji has seen many places as being almost like a mercenary for the Ilse of Mist, more of an assassin for hire. This mission is a bit different then he was use to exploring the new world alongside a squad none the less.

Shinji kept a mental note of who he was being assigned with in a squad. One being from Kirigakure Koko. The other two both from Iwagakure. To Shinji they might all be from differnt villages he didn't know most people from his own village. Never getting close to anyone or forming any kind of emotional attachments with anyone. Let that be friendship or just getting to know anyone. The nature of his jobs during the shinobi war he was often alone or dealing with the clients that hired people from Kirigakure.

He enters the building and instantly decided to find any of those he was to be aligned with, all he had was simple profiles to go from. Quite similar to how he finds his targets when he assigned to his normal jobs. Shinji quickly looks around looking for those he is suppose to be aligned with in a squad. The profiles he was given they seemed to at least to Shinji would seem to stand out. Shinji wasnt fond of being in a large building like this and being surrounded by so many others. Shinji looked around or a quick moment when he spots the black eyed male. Very easy to spot as this male of the Uragiri clan, as he was staring back as if looking for Shinji and Koko.

Shinji makes his way over to the man in question and asks plainly and with a bit of a monotone like feel within his voice with barely any emotion, "Sakana Uragiri?" Trying to get a confirmation of who he is before proceeding in a further conversation with the man. Shinji wasnt one for talking much but the situation involves communicating and figuring out who everyone is, this was the simple approach. As Shinji waits for an answer he keeps looking around to see if any of the other members of the team were around or will approaching the two.

Boshu Sen'Yo

---

Amegakure hotel - Time o'clock

While Amegakure left much to be desired due to it's industrial nature, it wasn't terrible. The smog only left a burn in Boshu's lungs for what was likely to be the rest of the day, it certainly wasn't like home to say the least but she could get used to it for a couple of days, maybe after a drink or two as well if she could convince any of the others to go with her.

For the time being Boshu was going to spend her time cleaning her equipment and making minor fixes, the room was perfect for it due to the relative lack of luxurious features it had. Her equipment was spread out all over the room as she made sure everything was accounted for and in good working order, it was going to cost someone's life later if she wasn't sure of her gear being fully functional right now.

Either way she had a whole day to use so every precaution would be taken and every worry would be addressed and although it seemed no one else wanted to drink before the big day of the briefing, Boshu was bubbling with excitement over being able to go to this supposedly unexplored land to see just what was there.The only following concern was how this related to the plague that had spread among some members of the population, and whether or not it's point of origin was in that new world, she couldn't go bringing it back herself that was for sure.

---

Amegakure's Great Hall - 08:50 am

Boshu didn't arrive too early, but she made sure to arrive at a reasonable time, much like the other shinobi attending the briefing. She'd be lead to her seat by one of the attendants present and found one of her squad-mates to be the ever familiar mask belonging to Homuru, he was an odd one for sure what with keeping his face covered up with that mask no matter the circumstance though it was probably just part of his work for the empire that meant he had to wear it.

Boshu wore her characteristically confident persona with a fresh smile and a bright tone of voice. "Punctual like always, eh Homuru? I'm glad to have a familiar face in the squad." She'd chime in greeting to her Tiger division cohort as she seated herself, glancing to the other two seats. "Know anything about the other two on our squad?" Homuru wasn't much for socialising, but it was worth attempting to poke and see what he knew, if anything, about Miyu Tachibana and Kinzo Uragiri.

The rest of the shinobi in attendance seemed to either be abuzz with excitement or completely sombre about the current situation, an unexplored world was in their sights and anything could come from it after all. Boshu just wanted to find out what kind of things lived over there so she could detail them and bring the information back to the rest of the guild, this kind of information was nigh on vital for someone such as her.

Kinzo Uragiri

^{Raijin Dynasties | Chunin | Squad 3}

---

Having spent a majority of his life in the war torn lands of the Raijin Dynasties, Kinzo had never been highly exposed to technology. Even during his travels in the Second Great Shinobi War he had been more focused on survival than observing the limited tech that was present. So his arrival in Amegakure had lead to a state of shock and even intimidation. From his perspective the buildings seemed to stretch into the clouds themselves, reaching far higher than he had ever seen. When he first exited the VTOL and was assaulted by the smog that covered the city just as much as the rain it lead to the Kaminari shinobi coughing for several minutes. The air in the land of the Dynasties was fairly clean, they didn’t have the time or resources to dedicate to many factories after all.

That coughing fit lasted long enough that when he was approached by an average man Kinzo was only able to respond to his question with a nod. It was a simple question, just inquiring whether or not he was Kinzo Uragiri, and it was followed by the man telling him to follow him. Kinzo did so, grateful that the coughing finally seemed to pass as he adjusted to the foul air. Each breath still burned his throat and lungs, but it no longer triggered a fit.

The man lead Kinzo to a large building, though not one of the truly massive ones it was still significantly larger than most he had ever seen. It turned out to be a hotel which he was quickly checked into. After getting his room number from the front desk Kinzo decided to take the stairs up several floors. Finally arriving at his floor he made his way into his room. It was fairly simple but he was grateful for that. If he’d been housed in a more extravagant room he doubted he would have been able to sleep.

---

The night had passed quickly for Kinzo though he only slept for a few hours of it. Most of the time had been spent getting familiar with the names and faces of those on the squad he had been assigned. Two of them he had heard about before, though that is to be expected given that they were Iwa Shinobi. Homura and Boshu Sen’Yo. Fortunately he had not met them on the battlefield. However he was understandably concerned about being on a squad with them given the history between their nations. The Kaminari Tribe was the closest of the four tribes to Iwa controlled land and as such there had been more than a few battles between his tribe and the Iwa forces. While he harboured no ill will towards either of them he was not sure they held similar beliefs.

The last member of their four person squad he had never heard of, though that was of little surprise given that they hailed from Kiri. The distance between their two nations was great and with their concerns focused to their immediate area the Dynasties didn’t spend significant time learning about the Hidden Mist shinobi.

Kinzo was drawn away from his thoughts by the approach of an attendant who quickly lead him to the area where is squad would be seated. It seemed like he was the third to arrive, both of the Iwa nin having beat him here. For a moment his worry threatened to spill over, but he quickly quelled it as he approached the pair.

”I am Kinzo, it would appear that we will be working together for the foreseeable future.”

Miyu Tachibana - Squad 4 - Great Hall Area

Miyu had technically arrived early to the general area, but she hadn't made her way into the building yet. She was still prepping herself mentally. The rain was miserable, but when you wanted to rehearse to yourself, it at least meant people weren't out or watching her.

"Just another mission, just another squad. I can do this. I can do this. I've not failed yet! Maybe alternate routes to success, but failure, nope! Besides, they aren't sending terrible ninja out. It'd be embarrassing for a village to look bad. Why they sent me! Sure, I don't have jutsu... or alot of power... But I do have bombs! A good bomb'll wipe away any evidence of a ninja looking bad!"

Miyu took another deep breath as she listened to the rain around her. She was from the Land of Water, a bit of rain was nothing new, but there was something calming about it. The rhythm could slow her heart. She halfheartedly messed with the mushroom tied to her hair. It was green and vibrant, and a great tool.

Working in the slow pat of the rain, Miyu checked her bags, again, and again. She practiced reaching for various items in it, producing pills, tags, kunai, and anything else she could think of. Looking at a clock, Miyu's heart jumped.

"Shoot! That time already! I gotta go now if I don't want to be late. You got this, girl. You don't mess up, and you won't mess up this time."

Miyu spun her staff dramatically, then rushed into the Great Hall. Her team's table was already full. Well, that would mean she'd only have to introduce herself once. There were the two from the Stone and the one from the Cloud. She'd never met any of them, but that was fine. The one from the Cloud seemed to be about her age, the two Stone nin were a bit older than her. Miyu had the feeling she was the youngest however.

Despite the fact she was soaking wet, Miyu gave a smirk as she walked up, and leaned against her staff before sitting down.

"Name's Miyu Tachibana, of the Hidden Mist. Look forward to working with you, I always do well in my missions, and hoping you all are the same. Might be a bit of a long mission, but I can promise you results from my end. Don't think I've ever had the chance to work with people outside my village. Fun. So, what are you all good at? I'm a bit proud of my tools. Got a present for every occasion. What's your expertise?"

Miyu finally took a seat, watching the others in her new squad: Homuru, Boshu, and Kinzo

---

There was something about the air that irked Eita. Was it the smog? The uncleanliness of the whole place, or the industrial metals that lined every inch of this land? In a way, this reminded him of the Iron Forest. But unlike the place of his birth, this was all wrong. Disgusting too. The windows only existed to give him a way to look down upon the steel walkways and dangerous peaks of metal buildings. In a way, he appreciated the ingenuity of the people of the rain country, but did it have to be so sloppy? There was no craft here. It seemed like they'd had men stand in line, marching down a line and slapping sheets of metal into the most vague of shapes. Nothing like the elegance of the Iron Forest, or worse even his brother's tacky artwork. Tacky in that it seemed to resemble crude pictures of sexual relationships. Something that bored Eita. After all, what did he care for something so... Crass?

What snapped him back to the window and hotel room was the chittering of an insect on his shoulder. Turning to the silver colored beetle, Eita let out a sigh of disapproval. "No. You may not eat the room." It felt like scolding a child. This was the Kinzoku, the bettles of the Iwasaki clan. Metal devouring menaces that nearly reached extinction if not for the Iwasaki forming a unique bond with the species. Symbiotic was the best word for it. In a land so rich with metal, it was important that he controlled them, as letting them go rampant on the metal city would just be a disaster. As well as a bit of a political mess. After all, who wanted to admit that bugs were trying to eat the city? "Don't worry, I can feed you all." Eita chirped to the beetle, and watched it crawl back into the depths of his uniform. After all, they needed him. That meant they obeyed. As Eita continued to gaze out the window, he could feel the insects feeding on the steel skin that he grew through his body, and he still couldn't sleep. Instead he looked out the window, and thought of all the things he'd be doing in less than two hours.
______________________________________________________________________


Eita had slept well the night before. Probably as a means to help his insects adjust, but maybe it was because he just felt like getting a good night's rest before a mission. Now, after his sleep, and morning of breakfast, contemplation, and other such things, he made his way to the meeting spot. Of his team he seemed the first to arrive. The insect clansman having already figured out exactly who he'd be working with. As if a list could be hidden from him and the many prying eyes of his insects. But at the very least he wasn't all to familiar with the names. Mostly some Konoha shinobi, which was never all that bad a pairing. Sure the Empire was above Konoha, but at the very least he could pretend to be on their level. After all, as a team they had to put differences aside. Taking the center seat in his group, Eita leaned back, with many around him unaware of the insects currently crawling under his skin.

He could make out other shinobi of the empire from a distance. Boshu Sen'Yo was easily recognizable. Just something about her was so easy to detect. Tiger Squad if he recalled. A different branch from the Elimination Squad, but they knew enough about each other. Or at least the Elimination Squad knew. She was a hunter... In a way, Eita wished he was on her team. His insects with her tracking? Nothing could escape them. Then there was... Uragiri. Nothing for Eita to worry about. That boy had his own things going on in life, and the metal ninja clan wanted nothing to do with it. Just didn't seem... Trustworthy. Homuru was another, and a member of the Tiger Squad as well. Probably the only reason Eita was alone was that most members of the Elimination squad would have turned down this invite. After all, they had killing to do.

Now to wait for his team. How... Boring.

Tsubaki had barely stepped off the VTOL when the pen he'd been chewing burst, ink flooding his mouth.

He really hoped that wasn't an omen.

Looking around in frustration, he took a deep breath to calm himself down, realising immediately that this was a mistake as air more disgusting than the ink in his mouth entered his lungs, causing him to sputter and cough.

"Izuku Akiyama?" A voice asked, and he looked up to see a large man looking down at him.

"Yep, that's me." He said to the man. "What's up?"

"I'm here to bring you to your hotel room. Follow me, please."

"Ah, right, good." Tsubaki said, catching his breath. "Ok then, you carry these, and I'll carry the Wok."

And then he dropped two heavy bags of pots, pans, and other cooking equipment into the mans hands before lifting up a wok almost larger than himself and strapping it to his back. In response, the man looked surprised, and even slightly indignant.

"Hey, don't give me that look." Tsubaki said, lightly knocking the mans leg with his staff. "We've gotta get these out of the rain before they rust, and if that happens, they'll be useless, and if that happens, I won't be able to cook anything with them, and then its just a slippery slope to everyone losing morale and everything collapsing in on itself. Are you ready to be remembered as the guy who caused the expedition to the new world to fail?"

Startled, the man hesitantly shook his head, and Tsubaki nodded, smile back on his face.

"Alright, good, now lets run. It's probably already started to rust while I said all that."

And then he dashed off, the man carrying the bags quickly following.

---

The next day, Tsubaki entered the amphitheater in the absolute worst state to attend a meeting. He'd barely gotten any sleep the night before, a sinking feeling in his gut keeping him awake the entire time. The fact that he couldn't use anything to replace a cigarette while trying to sleep without the risk of choking only caused this feeling to grow, leaving him dreading the next day without any understanding of why.

Of course, the fact that he'd apparently been placed into a squad didn't really help. He'd been under the impression he was just being sent as the expedition chef, and that he probably wouldn't even have to reveal himself as a shinobi! But, it didn't look like complaining about it would do much at this point, so he just sighed and picked a seat. Once he was sitting, he brought a little cylinder of rolled up paper to his mouth, calming down almost immediately as the cigarette substitute found its place in his mouth.

Honestly, what was he even worried about? So what if the shinobi on the expedition found out he was one of them? Half the ninja in Kumo knew that already! And it's not like he'd probably know any members of the expedition anyway, so there was no reason to worry that his past would be exposed either!

So naturally, just as this thought passed through his head, he caught sight of a very familiar blonde head a few rows ahead of him, nearly choking on the paper in his surprise.

What the hell?! Was that really… No! No way it was her, that would be too much of a coincidence…

And then the head turned to talk to the masked man next to her, and sure enough, it was exactly the same as he remembered, down to that stupid, confident grin.

"Sen…" He sighed under his breath. "Of course it had to be Se-"

And then he cut himself off, making a point to look bored again.

After all, from what he remembered, she'd probably pick it up with those damned super senses of hers…

Turning away, he looked around the room for any other possible members of his squad, and totally not sighing again in frustration as he realised that, yes, he was going to have to do proper shinobi work. It was just a little thing, not worth worrying about. Worry about something bigger, like the fact that you've gotta try and represent Kumo in a good light, and try to get the shinobi from the Empire to actually like them again, and is that Nagi Shinriky-"

Another coughing fit exploded from his lungs, as he tried to hide the utter, pants-shitting terror he felt when he saw her enter the amphitheater.

He still had nightmares about that woman, more than a few of them from way back when he was still an imperial genin, and, you know, not a missing nin who ran away and ended up working for their designated worst enemy…

And now she was on the expedition, and he'd have to survive in a not-very-crowded environment with her, and ohgodwhatifshewasinhissquad?

---

It was a new set of clothes – the exact same as the pair before, but a new set nonetheless – and Koko couldn’t help but be mystified by the splotchy grease stain that marked her orange pants. A part of her felt a little upset, it was such a waste of money to make a good impression when they were already ruined, and she didn’t even want to buy new clothes, only had stopped by the shops at the insistence of one of her superiors. For the most part, though, she was rather proud of her grease stain – only because it looked remarkably close to a fish. Or maybe it was more akin to a branching willow tree? No matter, the point stands that it takes a certain amount of talented devil-may-care sloppiness to have such an artistic blotch on one’s pants.

Koko patted her work of art affectionately and awkwardly tumbled off her bed, unto her feet. She wandered over to the window that overlooked Amegakure, watching the slogging of the smog that chugged out of almost every orifice of the city. The pollution hardly registered to Koko, her years of filling her lungs with tobacco have made them impervious to the incessant coughing. Unfortunately, she wasn’t entirely invulnerable to the Amegakure atmosphere – Koko swiped her hand under her nose, wiping the nosebleed before it travelled too far. She may have been spared burning in her lungs, but her nose was so dry she’d been suffering from nosebleeds since she arrived.

“Hm, it’s around that time, isn’t it?” Koko muttered aloud, her eyes flicking over her shoulder and to the round soundless clock.

There was no need for her to check the room to ensure she had everything, Koko had gone over her mental list twice before she had deigned to get out of bed and checking it all over again was just going to be a waste of time. As it is, Koko will probably be one of the last to arrive.

Koko placed her straw hat over her unbrushed hair, humming a tune she was making up on the spot. She wasn’t going to win any awards for her composing skills any time soon. Almost without even realizing it, the redhead had retrieved her pipe from where it hung on her hip and began to puff on the tobacco. All her necessities on her – the straw hat, her pipe, the usual shinobi things – Koko left the hotel room.

---

The coordinator gave her a sour look, lifting her nose as a swirl of tobacco smoke drifted under the girl’s nose. Koko didn’t see why she had to place the pipe away – they were in Amegakure, after all. The tobacco was more likely to do them some good, distract them from that suffocating feeling of pollution. As if her body was mocking her, another slight nosebleed began to trickle from her nose. Koko sniffed, though it didn’t do her much good, and furiously rubbed the remnants away with her hand.

“I hope you know that smoking is prohibited.” The coordinator said to her with a delicate tilt of her chin that was supposed to seem authoritative instead of cute. She looked like a puppy, but Koko wasn’t going to tell her that. People don’t like being compared to animals, she finds.

“Of course, of course.” Koko smiled, putting the kenka kiseru away, “I’m Koko Iyokan.”

The girl seemed placated by Koko’s submission to her authority and gave her a polite smile in return. The coordinator then gave her the seat assignment and Koko left, feeling bereft of her only comfort.

With that all said and done, Koko lazily ambled to the slow gathering of her new teammates, Squad Four. It seems she was the last one, after all, but not by too long. She silently arrived to stand next to them, glancing her eyes at each of them as she tried to put names to faces. Miyako Kurosawa, a pale girl that looked to be around Koko’s age; Shinji Yuki, a shinobi from Kirigakure that Koko never really encountered; and Sakana Uragiri, a younger teen with girlishly long hair.

Sakana, her new teammate, regarded her with cool black eyes and it was slightly unnerving, Koko supposes. It wasn’t off-putting enough for Koko’s smile to falter or for her lazy gait to stumble more than it did usually. Rather, it was unnerving in the way a dog happens to wink when you ask it if it understands you or when someone coincidentally turns and catches you in the exact moment your eyes flickered across them (Koko personally hated that last scenario – everyone always thinks she’s staring at them!). Shinobi liked to be unnerving, liked to evoke that intimidation factor in others, friendlies or no, and it’s that deliberateness of shinobi that causes Koko to be less intimidated than more.

So, Koko continued to smile at her new teammates – she didn’t beam at them, she wasn’t trying to lift any rain clouds with a big fat grin, nor did she have an arrogant tilt to turn her smile smugger. It was semi-polite, not formal though, and incredibly lazy.

“Looks like I’m the last one.” Koko chuckled, hand on hip and body language intentionally staying open to convey sociability. “M’name is Koko Iyokan. Pleasure to meet you guys.”

A polite lie – Koko didn’t feel anything from meeting them, just said it as formality. In truth, she didn’t care much about them from what she gathered. There was no reason to be nefarious, so Koko had full intentions of working with them well and getting along; but, if they were to die somehow, Koko would feel no serious loss on her side of things.

The only wish Koko has is that they’re not socially inept weirdos. Please don’t be socially inept weirdos.

---

The journey on the VTOL craft had been quite smooth - not as luxurious as Yuhi had hoped, but smooth nonetheless. He'd largely turned his attention inward, reclining lazily and reading a thick book bound in rich and supple leather, as the sights below and the noise within escaped his attention entirely. Even entering the atmosphere of Amegakure he had only noticed a slight cough and a wheeze every now and again due to the quality of the air with how intense his focus had been. When they landed, his focus was unshaken. When the door was opened and the smog got in, he retched violently for a second and was brought back to the world, his lungs filling with shaky and hesitant inhalations of the noxious air and his eyes watering from the acrid sting that had assaulted his senses. He'd never really experienced this sort of thing before--and though a part of him delighted in any new experience, it was made quite small by how positively awful it was to breathe in the pollution in Amegakure.

Still, he took in stride as he gingerly walked his way off of the aircraft and into the city proper. Unlike many of the other individuals getting themselves together and departing the vehicle, he had not visibly brought any actual luggage with him--the only thing he had was a small backpack, stuffed to the brim with various scrolls and books. Everything he needed for a comfortable stay was secured within, and the lack of weight made his life far easier--a sentiment shared by the young man walking up to him with the name "Jikangai, Yuhi" spilling from his lips. He confirmed that the name did indeed belong to him with a simple nod.

"Mistress Kyoko sends her regards, Yuhi. Follow me, please."

Before he started to walk, Yuhi moulded and kneaded his chakra internally for a brief moment. Once he had finished, he was adorned with a simple (but relatively effective, considering its material) paper umbrella that kept him and his precious cargo from the downpour. As he followed his guide, he considered Amegakure. He'd read that it never stopped raining in Amegakure, but had never really given thought to what that would mean in the context of him specifically: he'd never planned to visit Amegakure. From everything he'd read about the place (which was, unsurprisingly, not an inconsiderable amount) he'd thought it positively dreadful. Necessary, and good for the health of the world, but utterly dreadful. Luxury had been all he had known for a very long time, and though he had not expected the trip to be anything short of harrowing he hadn't been quite prepared for how inhospitable it seemed in this rainy, smoggy city. Living in a palatial complex on a private island in the Isles of Mist had rather changed his opinion of what acceptable living conditions meant - though he supposed he'd thrown that out of the window as soon as he'd accepted Kyoko's offer to send him on this expedition.

Before he knew it, he had arrived at a hotel and his paper umbrella was quite a bit worse for wear (though the worst had been abated by his chakra). He discarded it in a nearby garbage can and entered the lobby of the hotel before being checked in and ascending to his room. He took the time he had to relax as much as he could in the room he'd been given. He didn't want to call it plain, but that was exactly what it was. Still, there were facilities to brew tea and facilities to give himself the last peaceful hot shower he'd likely experience in quite a while - he made liberal use of them, and in the evening he recorded his thoughts and observations about the city in a diary. All things considered, he was quite excited to find out precisely what he'd learn on this very hush-hush trip. He'd been given cryptic instructions about what to expect from Kyoko (even by her standards), and rather than waste his time attempting to decipher her words he would happily wait to simply be told what was going on in the morning.

---

The trip to the Grand Hall was, as expected of Amegakure, unpleasant. Between the rancid air and the constant rain, it would be easy to believe that one was beginning their first steps into an eternal punishment--but Yuhi knew better than that, and figured that acclimatising to being uncomfortable was useful for whatever it was that was coming. He entered the room relatively leisurely (and surprisingly dry, all things considered) and confirmed his identity and such with the assistant at the door. He was given a number, presumably for a seat, and walked down the aisle until he found where he was supposed to be and sidled along until he found his seat.

He wasn't... surprised, exactly, to find Tsubaki had been placed next to him but his initial reaction was one of confusion. He could largely tell from the man's bearing that he was exceptionally nervous about something--he was positively filled with consternation. He wondered what there was to be so nervous about when the moment of revelation was close at hand, other than the knowledge that they were about to obtain. That would certainly be a nervous excitement, though, surely? It certainly wouldn't be whatever he was feeling. Yuhi made it a point to introduce himself as formally and briefly as possible, giving his name and a curt nod to the fellow he was now sitting next to, before he reached into his backpack and pulled out a book and a pen. He opened the cover carefully and meticulously, removed the cap of the pen, and prepared himself to write down any pertinent information that was about to be discussed. He was sure they'd receive some official notation from the briefing, but he always wanted to record information himself. He found no small amount of comfort in having his own notes to review, for one thing, and he had promised his benefactor that he would provide her with every piece of relevant information that he came across. He was quite convinced that she would, somehow, already know anything that he was about to write down - but he was always thorough when it came to information. He presumed that selfsame thoroughness was what had earned him his position on the squad he was one - but seeing Tsubaki fretting, he wasn't quite sure.

He elected to not give much more thought to it, instead waiting patiently for the head jonin to begin the presentation. There would be plenty of time for camaraderie and bonding with his fellows later. Now, there was information to be had and work to be done.

---

“Hmmhmm..” was the only answer Shinji received, a confirming mumble that he was indeed Sakana Uragiri, which offered little to no interesting things to the conversation. From the man's lack of initiative, Sakana could already tell this one was gonna be quiet and reserved. He wouldn't be the leader on this mission. “Who knows if we'll be succesful. The Sage, maybe,” he told Miyako when she piped up about being succesful int his mission, though Sakana's voice wasn't loud enough to be heard by either Miyako or Shinji, as his voice lowered when his black eyes then trailed after a familiar face walking past - Kinzo Uragiri, a painful reminder of his past, and a painful reminder of his clan too. Subconsciously Sakana loudly smacked his hand down onto the table in front of him, the smack causing him to snap back into reality, rather than visions of the past. He turned to face Miyako, and in doing so spotted another person approaching.

“Koko Iyokan...” he repeated after her when she told them her name, and slowly he'd raise to his feet, standing up with one hand leaning on the table. “... the hell kinda name is that?” An inquisitive question that almost seemed like it was serious. It was rather ironic, though, coming from a guy literally named 'fish,' though in his case the name at least made some sense, what with the black fish eyes. The girl in front of him, well, she didn't even look like she knew what a Koko was, nevermind the fact that she didn't look like one anyway.

Despite being the youngest, and visibly so, Sakana asserted himself. If only to get some semblance of organisation and coordination into the team. “I don't know who you are or what you do, and I certainly don't know why they put us Empire goons and some Kiri swords-for-hire together on an expedition, but look around.” Without gesturing widely he made it clear that he was talking about the other teams, which one had formed entirely, and two were left with a few members missing. He squinted his eyes a little bit, indicating that he was serious, while staring at Koko first, then Shinji, and then Miyako. “All other groups are just as rag-tag as we are. I suggest we get some hierarchy and order going. And, if it pleases the emperor of Stone, and the COO of the Mist, we should pick a leader and representative of the group.”

He turned his eyes onto Shinji now, who seemingly didn't even have the decency to introduce himself all that time. “Let's start with you, nameless shinobi. Do you always forget to introduce yourself, or is it just when you're meeting Iwagakure no Sato shinobi? Do you have some problem with us? Who are you anyway? Do you think that you can represent us?”

---

"Punctual like always, eh Homuru? I'm glad to have a familiar face in the squad."

The question roused Jinzo from his own thoughts, noticing by the tone of familiarity that it belonged to none other than Boshu; his fellow Tiger agent and squad-mate. Her arrival before the others eased him further. Had it been one of the two remaining members of his squad, he likely wouldn't have said much beyond greeting them before staying silent until Boshu arrived. It's not that he was shy, even despite the mask, Jinzo simply didn't feel entirely comfortable meeting people from different countries, especially when he wasn't being sent to kill them. He was always weary that someone would recognize his mask and act emotionally. Being a shinobi didn't give Jinzo much time for emotions, as such he had a hard time expressing them as well as being on the receiving end.

"Well the early bird does catch the worm." He replied, tilting his head towards her as she sat down. "And is that a joke at my expense? You haven't changed much." He smiled. Whether she was referring to his mask or not, it didn't matter, he found it amusing all the same. It had been a long while since the two of them last saw each other, despite the fact that they were in the same Division. Jinzo had been away on several missions outside of the Empire, still mopping up remnants of the war. As for Boshu, he hadn't heard much at all. The brass were never very forthcoming when it came to the movements of the other agents.

"Know anything about the other two on our squad?" He was about to respond to her question when another voice chimed in soon afterwards, which made him turn his head to look.

”I am Kinzo, it would appear that we will be working together for the foreseeable future.” The voice belonged to an exceptionally well-groomed young man, who possessed a pair of deep, black eyes. Without a doubt, he was a member of the Uragiri Clan. Jinzo didn't envy this man's genetic trait like most others did. If anything it was a hindrance, as it instantly provided him with the information that Kinzo was the Kumo-nin of their squad. Information like that, as a shinobi, shouldn't be given away so freely. He was readying his new response when he was interrupted once again. This time by an exceedingly young-looking girl, whose hair was tied back into a pony-tail which only proceeded to aid in her efforts to like a child, intentional or not.

"What are you all good at? I'm a bit proud of my tools. Got a present for every occasion. What's your expertise?"

Jinzo was taken aback slightly just by the sheer amount of talking she could do to complete strangers. So much so that he struggled to formulate an adequate response right away. If not for the mask that kept his expression well hidden, the Kiri-nin would no-doubt have seen the pained look that now plagued his face. "Welcome Kinzo, Miyu. It's a pleasure to meet you." He began after regaining his composure, nodding towards them both separately. "I am Homuru. And I am grateful that you would share so much with us after barely introducing yourself, however, I am not quite at liberty to discuss with you my own expertise in return." Joint effort or not, Jinzo refused to give himself away so easily. Every fiber in his being told him not to, reinforced by years of training and discipline. As a fellow shinobi, he thought they too would understand the importance of retaining information. Evidently things were quite different outside of the Empire.

This was one of the harshest of desert nights. One where the sands had cooled to uncomfortably freezing temperatures and anyone residing on the outskirts of the capital city would once again feel nature's frosty wrath. It was characteristically windy, as was common of Sishio, though bearable in the city thanks to the buildings that mitigated the impact. A circle of proselytes gathered amongst one another, un-phased by the air that bit their fingers and ears. Their chants echoed through the quiet sector, a synchronized murmur of words spoken in tongue no one outside the Faith of Heiwa would understand.

Heiwa, the God of Peace. They praised him vehemently outside the elaborate doors of the large cathedral that stood before them. And from within, a seemingly lone woman watched them carefully through the pained glass, her arms crossed as she murmured to the beat of their chants. She closed her eyes, becoming awashed in the spirit as a figure approached her from behind.

"You have been blessed child. Heiwa has called you to purpose elsewhere. Have you yet come to terms?", the voice spoke, its natural vibrato deep and resonating. The young woman turned on her heel, though remained partially leaned against the window. Soft candles flickered around, illuminating her features as she faced him. "Of course Bishop. Any false semblance of trepidation has since seized within my heart" she said, "Heiwa is the foundation of our faith." She paused, bringing her palm to her chest, "Through him, and then through ourselves, we must use all opportunities presented before us to share his love and the peace that he wishes to wash over the old...and the New World."

The Bishop smiled, walking over to her with arms bent and his hands brought together, "Then let us pray."

---

A teacup, no larger than her fist, drifted slowly across the space of her hotel room. The contents of the cup rippled as it floated forth, seemingly on it's own accord. And once it seemed to have reached it's proper destination, it paused in mid-air, alleviated of its duty by supple hands that had grasped it from both sides and brought it up to a pair of soft lips. Erika, born Chihiro Yamanaka, blew softly into the steaming contents of the cup, sighing deeply as the liquids simultaneously soothed and burned her throat.

Erika left the window open throughout the night it seemed; she enjoyed the sound of the rain. The reverberations of this city lulled her into sleep. It helped that she had an unnaturally high tolerance for pain. The smog, though it burned, affected her none. Well into the morning, it was a pain that did little to distract her from the Book of Heiwa, the religious text that lay sprawled open on the bed in front of her. Her eyes gazed upon its contents in fixed admiration, reading applicable scriptures and proverbs aloud between sips of pleasantly steaming hot tea...

At last, she looked up from the book and gently closed it, sitting the now empty teacup on the side table near the bed. She breathed in deeply as she closed her eyes, clasping her hands together tightly as if they were glued together. "Heiwa...guide me to this New World"

---

Erika entered the Great Hall alone. She recognized no others from Sunagakure, though perhaps they remained hidden amongst the groups that had assembled. She paced herself slowly and she moved within the crowded space, making sure not to brush up against anyone too roughly. Snugged with her hands was a small bouquet of white poppies, a flower that symbolized peace, the end, and the remembrance of war. It was said that these flowers grew over the dead bodies of the soldiers from the previous wars. She had harvested these flowers several nights before and had them preserved until this very occasion.

Her attention shifted around the room as she looked for her accomplices. Two would be from Konohagakure, the motherland of her clan, and the other two, a much more unfamiliar ping that she could not trace. She hadn't utilized much of her time to remembering who she was to be paired with, though the images of these mysterious figures that she had never met before drifted hazily in and out of her mind as she looked around. Erika admitted, she probably should have brought the briefing information with her. As a truculent figure nudged against her on his way out the Great Hall, she snugged the flowers tighter to her chest as her eyes finally fell upon the figure that she eventually able to recall.

"Eita Iwasaki..." she called out to him softly, her presence drifting closer upon him as she took hold of one of her flowers and held it out to him. She took in his figure. His wavy short hair and the heavy fur-like cloak that lay over his shoulders. Just from his looks alone, he radiated with an air of nobility. It was something she could not, not notice. "This flower a symbol of peace. A blessing passed onto you."

If he took the flower, she would sit beside him. If not, she would sit beside him regardless. "Since the dawn of the ether itself, our threads had already been entwined. Only death may sever it now." A gentle smile rested upon her delicate countenance as she looked upon him, "Erika. Erika Yamanaka of the Church of Heiwa." One may find it odd that she introducd herself under the title of the church rather than Sunagakure itself. Perhaps this was a showing of where her true loyalties lie. Anything to further the governance of her faith.

Boshu Sen'Yo

---

Amegakure Great Hall - Still got time to chin-wag

Boshu's expression remained as Homuru responded to her initial greeting, intending to follow what he'd just said, but before they could have a laugh of their own about anything the third and fourth members of the squad arrived. Unlike Homuru, Boshu was more than ready to engage chatty and open folk in conversation, but of course she let her masked companion finish talking first so not to cut him off.

As she waited she briefly heard an utterance that sounded a bit like her last name, causing her to glance the direction it came but ultimately she couldn't tell if it was actually someone saying her name or if it was someone called Sen being referenced, it didn't really matter at the moment as it was anyway, so she could worry about it later.

A brief glance over the two of them brought on a briefly concerned expression, of all the potential each village had at their disposal, was it really a good idea to send who looked so young and inexperienced? Yeah, there had been a war not long ago that they likely participated in, but they wouldn't have done much with their apparent ages, even Boshu didn't get into much of the meat of the war when she was younger. The few major skirmishes she was in gave her enough experience to at least know when someone was pretending to surrender or trying to flee the battlefield.
Homuru was considered a veteran like her, so she could trust that he'd keep at the task at hand regardless of what happened for sure, fresh-faced folk like these two? Who knew whether or not they would run at the first sign of danger?

But Boshu hid her reservations about the two by shifting her expression from it's concerned gaze to one matching the confident smile she wore before. "Well, Kinzo and Miyu, I can see some good potential in both of you and I bet this mission will bring it out. I'm Boshu Sen'Yo, hunter of beasts and generally a friendly kinda person. And he may not be allowed to say what he can do, but Homuru's talents will shine through exactly when they're needed, you have my assurance on that matter. Now get cosy you two, we've got a briefing to listen to once everyone's here."

Of course Boshu would listen in case either of them had any further questions, but it looked like a majority of the squads numbers had arrived already, no doubt the briefing would begin very soon.

---

Walking into the foreign lands of Amegakure was unsettling in the least. It wasn’t from the towering buildings and maze of pipes nor was it from the drastic distinction in population than Konoha. No, it was mostly just the air that really off put our young hero. The stench burned the hair follicles in his nostrils, Shizuka’s eyes couldn’t help but water as he choked on his own gag. Being the guardian for all matters concerning air, Shizuka was too sensitive to the air around him in any plane. Suffocating, the boy couldn’t bear inhale any more smog with insidious intentions for his lungs. The only detriment that was more precarious than his was the surrounding area. People seemed completely unaffected by the pollution ransacking their bodies. Madness, he thought, pure madness. Regardless, he could not stand to thrive in these conditions and so with a quick flick of the wrist a pale blue breathing apparatus affixed itself to the boy’s mouth and nose connecting at the back like a gas mask.

Now in his element, Shizuka lifted his arms into the air and spun them flawlessly as if he worked in a circus as an acrobat all his life. With one small hop a gust of wind coalesced into his hand as they led down to the space where his feet once were. A small air ball formed under him as he sped off into the direction of the amphitheater the Hokage had instructed him to go to. Being one of the chosen few to become an ambassador for Konoha was an honor. An honor that was lost on the cloudy headed fool, fun was the only opportunity Shizuka saw in the matter. Happy to stretch his feet outside of his hotel, Shizuka was curious to see if he recognized any other shinobi from the chunin exams. Making his way inside the air vanished from underneath him as he landed like a cat on his feet, so nimble. He was then instructed by a random mediator to sit with the team he was assigned.

Now in an enclosed space the young spry ninja could finally remove his oxygen apparatus. The instructor spoke to Shizuka, only for him to misunderstand his hand extension, showing him the location of his squad as an invitation to shake his hand. Shaking his hand furiously the shinobi recoiled in shock, probably wondering if Shizuka was actually an idiot. Like a goldfish, his attention dropped quicker than a drop of water as he saw his designated spot. Two of his comrades had already made their way into the stand and had begun to talk, not wanting to feel left out the excitement took over. Waving his hand in the air, Shizuka began to shout, “Hey guys!” now cupping his hands around his mouth as to somehow amplify his voice, “HEY! IT’S ME, SHIZUKA!” Sprinting up to his teammates he kept making himself painfully noticeable, drawing unnecessary attention to Squad 2.

“Oooh you’re pretty” Shizuka said as he ogled the blonde haired kunoichi. The gust of wind collecting behind him would cascade forward, blowing the flower out of her hand, intended for Eita, and push her hair and clothing back along with Eita’s. “I like your bow! My name is Shizuka. I’ll be your partner from here on out. You look familiar…” Shizuka kneeled in real close his breath could be felt on her skin. “Are you from Kono—“ he trailed off as the glint of Eita’s mothy cloak. “Whoaaaa who are you and what is this?!” he sang like a small child discovering something new to play with. Running his fingers through the cloak Shizuka’s face melted into an expression of euphoria, “Pet the magic rug. Pet the magic rug.” It was safe to say S

Shinji listened to the introduction of each person. His eyes glanced over at Miyako when she introduced herself to him. Then turned and glanced over at Koko when she approached them and started talking. She seemed to be polite when she arrived and talking about being the last one. It wasnt long until Sakana spoke up and confirming he is who Shinji asked. Shinji glanced silently at first letting Sakana talk his piece. “Let's start with you, nameless shinobi. Do you always forget to introduce yourself, or is it just when you're meeting Iwagakure no Sato shinobi? Do you have some problem with us? Who are you anyway? Do you think that you can represent us?”

Shinji didnt waste time to answer the questions that Sakana asked. "Until you confirmed who you are I had no need to introduce myself. I don't have a problem with any of you or anyone. My reasons for not introducing myself before were as I said. Until you confirmed yourself being Sakana of the Uragiri clan there was no point in you knowing my name. You could be a shinobi of Kirigakure and I still would have proceeded as I just did. It had nothing to do with you being from Iwagakure. I don't have a problem with anyone I have no feelings towards any of you. Truth be told I have no feelings towards anyone who was sent to this new world, I go where I am told to go. I was told I was to be in a squad with the three of you and here I am. My name is Shinji Yuki to answer your question who am I. If any of you want to make yourselves the leader or the person to represent this group then figure that out between each other. I have no desire to lead, if any of you three want to then I will follow whose ever lead as long as complete the missions given to us, I will follow any lead the three of you will lead us to."

Shinji was all business not even showing any emotion towards Sakana's comments when he answered the questions that were asked of him. He answered as he did with a cold tone within his voice. He truly didn't care about leading or who would lead. When he spoke he didnt even smile he just simply spoke with an expressionless look on his face as he answered the questions.

Shinji did though start taking mental notes of the personality traits of his teammates as he spoke to them. Trying to see what they do and how they react to what he says and the way he went about saying it. He really didn't address the others but he spoke as if he was speaking to all three members of the squad. Treating them all the same in the same way he treats everyone that isn't a target. Treating them more as clients for a job rather than teammates. Answering Sakana's questions as if the other two had asked it.

Kinzo Uragiri

^{Raijin Dynasties | Chunin | Squad 3}

---

While he waited for the responses from his teammates, and the arrival of the last member of their squad, Kinzo took a moment to let his eyes wander around the gathering crowd. The amount of shinobi gathered was the largest he had ever been apart of and it was almost as mind boggling as his arrival to the sky piercing city had been. Scattered throughout the hall he could make out a few of his fellow Kaminari ninja, many of them were older than himself and as such were more tense about the whole affair. They had fought against Iwa for a lot longer than he had and that time had allowed their hatred to grow and fester. He was actually grateful that none of them ended up as the fourth member of his squad, it would have created unnecessary strain.

It was while he was scanning the crowds that his gaze met another pair of eyes that mirrored his own. Except there was a large x branded across the right one. Sakana Uragiri. Once the prodigy of their clan, his allegiance now flew with the Iwa, as if banishment wasn’t enough the younger Uragiri disgraced himself even further in the eyes of their clan when he received asylum from the Empire. Kinzo didn’t care about that anymore than being on a squad with the Stone nin, he was simply disappointed that the prodigy had overestimated himself when he challenged the heir.

His attention was soon brought back to his immediate surroundings by the arrival of the final member of his squad. The Hidden Mist shinobi seemed to match her nation perfectly as water was dripping from both her clothing and hair. Upon noticing her weapon he felt grateful, it marked her as a close range fighter which complimented his preferred distance. Even if the other two were similar to him their group had at least one person that would be in the face of any threats they faced. It just meant that it would be his job to give her ample support from a distance.

He allowed the two Iwa nin to voice their responses to Miyu’s question before him. Not only were they his senior in age but they also outranked him. The masked Homuru’s reply didn’t surprise him in the slightest, secrecy seemed to ooze out of the man after all. From the tales he had heard he was well aware of the Huntress’s prowess. Her name was well known among the Kaminari.

With Boshu finishing Kinzo took a moment to cast his gaze towards the stage, seeing that it remained empty he decided he had the time needed to answer Miyu’s question. ”It is nice to meet you Miyu. I am Kinzo Uragiri. As for my expertise I specialize in mid to long range combat with lightning ninjutsu.”

He paused to turn his dark eyes toward Homuru. ”I respect your desire to keep your capabilities to yourself Homuru, but for us to work well as a unit it may be advantageous for all of us to know what the others can do.”

---

Unlike the others, Nagi had already set herself into Amegakure about a week before the VTOL arrivals. She had a small case there, not one she'd usually take given the small scale but it was basically killing two birds with one stone. A suicide of some low-grade politician to be investigated, looking for traces of Foul Play and so on. The only true inconvenience would be the fact that this event had made a buzz in the news already. Otherwise, the case was quickly closed. It was a suicide, though the context behind it remained doubtful, but Nagi wasn't a psychologist nor did she have any sympathy for these types of men. They are but tools compared to the grandiose hierarchy of the Empire of Stone.

There wasn't much else to do in Amegakure once the job was done. Something the chief investigator had forgotten about when she took this initiative. Homesick from her beloved nation and bored out of her mind in the foul atmosphere of the rain hub, she waited. There were clubs, pubs and many things to do. But none of this could satiate her hype for the upcoming expedition. To be one of the first Stone Soldiers to travel into unknown lands and represent the Empire for all its glory gave her the most ticklish of butterflies.

At least she had the time to skim through the basic profiles of her teammates. Nothing major, nothing revealing. But one did stand out, as it was particularly out of place. And there was just something weird about his mug shot.

---

Five minutes before the ring of the bell. Punctual as ever, Nagi Shinrikyo made it just in time for the briefing. Her boots stomped the carpeted floor of the amphitheater as she descended toward the row she had been designated to sit upon. Those that'd notice her presence would see a relatively tall lass with a dark colored apparel and a black coat set over her shoulders. She was fully equipped with her formal uniform without a single stain or blemish to be found. An intimidate suit to say the least, especially if one knew the kind of things the Dog Division opted to do when wrangling suspects. This suit brought terror with it.

The Suna briefer was already standing stiff, waiting for them to be ready. That was the first thing she notice, whether or not their management was competent enough to follow the schedule as they would. Without consistent high command, they were not going to make it far in the new continent. The next elements were her teammates and whether or not she'd recognize them by their profile pictures. Close enough, though there is always this disconnect between reality and what a camera can capture.

"It's in the name, Uragiri Sakana. Why put so many of the Emperor's subjects in peril when we can simply purchase expendable manpower?"

Her calm tone coupled well with her powerful voice.

"And besides, should we really expect other nations to forego their interests? We're exploring unknown land and nobody trusts anybody to not try and haul goods for themselves. I'm frankly quite pleased! It allows us to ensure the Clouds don't try to get sneaky on us, again. You of all people should know to be cautious around them ..."

She smiled, still descending, until she'd find her row. The same smile remained, though this time addressed to her teammates. Two males, though one seemed effeminate enough to be mistaken for a lady. Blue eyes captured the Jikangai for a brief moment before they'd settle for the mystery-man. Before she would sit, Nagi would address him, and Yuhi by extension.

"Good Morning. Chief Inspector Nagi Shinrikyo. Nagi's fine. I suppose you've all had some involvement in the war? You know how to do this? I don't have to train you all for a day so we can cooperate? Excellent."

Finally, she'd sit.

"Oh and ... Why so stressed, Cloud?"

Her eyes peered at his direction again, shifting between the Jonin that was about to make his presentation and the Not-Tsubaki. The Inspector did not seem to know who he was still.

---

---

All were here. Or at least, all who were competent enough to take this expedition seriously. The big screen before the whole amphitheater would flash open, revealing the name of the Operation. It went by none other than 'New Continent'. The Suna Jonin had what seemed to be a remote control, allowing him to scroll through his carefully prepared powerpoint presentation. He finally spoke, his voice low and booming. Likely with an enhancement via some sort of ninjutsu. Everyone could hear him clearly.

"Welcome, Expedition Candidates. Seventy two days ago, all five great nations were struck by a wave of bio-terrorist attacks. Little has been shared about these, partially out of discretion, but also because we don't know much of anything."

A click, the next slide would reveal various headlines of the attacks as he spoke, clicking again as he finished his explanation. The following slides would show various pictures of patients, some seemingly fine on an external point of view, while some others were clearly distressed and suffering from various skin diseases such as rashes, blisters, hives and so on. The more he progressed, the worse the afflictions seemed, to the point were a few of the last ones showed clear signs of acute growths that complete disfigured patients or handicapped them. It was like they were being mutated somehow.

"These are the victims of the attack. The first signs of this epidemic showed themselves when the bombs exploded and the White Gas had been spread. Quarantine was successful in each nation, however that's the only ounce of good news we have. We do not know what this is, nor how to halt its progression. It isn't viral, parasitic or even some strange form of prion or bacteria. We barely grasp how it spreads, though it is through prolonged contact with the infected and hazmat suits have been efficient at preventing contagion."

A new click, this time revealing a picture. An old one, with no color. Likely a picture taken eighty or so years ago.



"This is Nori Kinsei, Takigakure-born and an ex-scholar of Sunagakure. He had been sent on a mission similar to yours right now seventy nine years ago. An initiative sparked by a similar phenomenon that occurred more than a century back, although at the time there was little proof to back up an expedition of this size, recent findings have confirmed a few things."

A couple more slides progressed, showing more modern city camera-captured pictures of the man. He had more of a beard though he otherwise seemed unchanged after all this time. The cameras were not the best, as the frame-rate was horrendous, but they got good glimpsed of Nori. There was no doubt that it was him.

"In every instance of terrorism, he could be found in at least three of the five nations. The Dynasties lack the technology and Sunagakure's policies on privacy made the effort far less optimal. Nonetheless, it is reasonable to assume he had been present in each one."

"Now, as this information was passed on, the Hokage was able to have a task force react quickly the attack and swiftly locate our perpetrator. Capture failed, but the surprise intervention forced our guy to escape in a hurry, leaving behind documentation we'll be using today."

Said documents showed up on the screen.

"This is a set of plans and coordinates for an unknown area in the New Continent. We cannot reach it without losing communication and flight is borderline impossible. Which is why we're sending Squad One to investigate this area. Considering what we've been able to decipher, we believe this is a strong lead to understanding the science behind these afflictions."

"Squads two, three and four will be following the tracker bugs set upon the fleeing Nori. One of the Aburame in the task force had been able to bug the doctor as he fled, leaving us with three areas where he had stopped for an extended amount of time. We have lost track of the bugs about a week ago, however. You are all equipped with PDA's capable of tracking your coordinates, the unique bugs' location and gathering data when possible."

Indeed, once each member of the team be sent off on their VTOL, they'd find said PDA tool as well as other goods for survival. The PDA itself also served as a means to gather data, whether it'd be taking pictures of gathering information from computers. It was a useful tool, and they should definitely use it!

"Squads five to eight will serve to establish perimeters at the border, and slowly establish safezones in the case of urgent retreats from our recon troops."

"With all that said, Warriors of the Shinobi World, I wish you luck on this adventure. Communication is impossible beyond the borders of the New Continent. You'll be on your own. Good Hunting."

With the briefing done, the Shinobi could now make their way to their designated VTOL's at the roof. Each squad would have their own VTOL with the right amount of goods needed for them to survive for a while. There was no time for prolonged chit chat. Now was the time to act, to do what they came here to do. The adventure into the New Continent starts now.