KalasA Shadow Struck
The Tsuchikage, Kobuto Kurogana
The Tsuchikage, Kobuto Kurogana
Sitting in his chair, the Tsuchikage continued filling out report after report. He grasped his head from lack of sleep.
“Ugh, I have a bad feeling.”
In his stress, he had sent most of the staff in the office home. The last thing he needed was to deal with more people, unless it was important. He didn’t know what the bad feeling was, but he suspected it dealt with a neighboring country, and had sent heavier defenses around the perimeter of the village. He had the distinct feeling he had missed something, and he liked the solitude to think out whatever it could be.
Though the threat was unaware, the Tsuchikage was right on one count, there was a bad omen on its way. Approaching the village in complete silence was a man. Eyes and face hidden by a scarf and hood, the figure walked straight towards the gate into Iwagakure. However, he was not merely silent, his chakra was suppressed within a thin screen of chakra. The chakra was redirecting light and he’d cast out several others causing 5 spots where it was an unnatural pitch black. Three of the “spots” were weaving and wavering in odd patterns as they neared the village’s wall.
The fourth and fifth spot, in which Shinku existed moved in straight lines, but zigzagged about with increasing intensity, Shinku darting about to keep up with the jutsu he had conjured. The tactic was an unnerving one, meant to distract, confuse, and conceal. As the dark blots came into clear view of the sentries on the wall, Shinku utilized the Hiding in Camouflage technique, and stepped out of the blot that had been concealing him. He had also utilized Kasai no boshū(火災の募集 'Fire's Offering'), creating swirling dervishes of wind that surrounded and followed the blots of darkness.
He, rather than let them strike first, jumped into the air and landed on the top of the wall after two additional hops up it utilizing the tree climbing technique. Swiftly he took out the distracted guards, sending kunai into the backs of their necks, each of which was concealed by a layer of chakra that extended his camouflage technique. The only indicator of the kunai was its chakra and a tiny ripple of light.
The darting shadows surrounded by dust, small rocks, and wind were far more attention grabbing and were at the base of the wall now...and growing in size.
Not truly caring if anyone noticed, Shinku hopped off the other side of the wall and began his trek through the village, melting into the crowd, and not bothering to conceal his visual form any longer.
The Tasatsu Tsuki was descending on his prey.
The tsuchikage continued at his office, glancing up at his Jade Books of Heaven, they remained blank. He sighed, at least that was a good sign. Kobuto stood up, stretching from his chair, leaving the mountain of paperwork on the desk, glancing at the barren street below. Nobody to bug him, how he wanted it.
“I swear I’ll never finish that. Good for numbing the mind though. Only reason I do it. Guess I should stop, and do what's important.”
Grabbing his blade as he stood up, he pointed at a large map on the wall.
“Making the Stone, my biggest worry, as it ever should be. All these villages…. and none of them on the same friendly. Whether they are large, or small, power’s what we all want, predictable, and not a concern about them.”
He sighed again, his expression darkening, as he opened a drawer under the map, a filemarked S-class below it, particularly a group called Omoitsuku-za.
“Unpredictable….”
Looking at three pins on his map, he looked forlorn.
“I hope you three forgive me. Chances are one of you make it back….”
Slipping past the guards by circumventing them altogether, Shinku scaled the building with the tree climbing technique after traversing the length of the village via crowds. He had reinstated his invisibility before he broke from the crowd to approach the kage’s office building.
Once he’d reached the very top of the building he used his eyes to locate the kage, knowing he was in the office, and spotted him within his main office. Glancing through the building to see the layout properly, Shinku smiled. Noting the composition of the walls Shinku performed handseals and then dropped down onto the Kage’s porch. Then he glanced at the door and back to the wall and had a hilarious idea. Even if it failed, he’d not be terrible disadvantaged.
Smirking, Shinku descended down a floor, and infiltrated through a window, closing it quietly behind him. Oh this will be priceless. Let’s see if the genius notices what’s staring him right in the face, Shinku thought to himself as he ascended the stairs.
Reaching the top floor and location of Kobuto’s office, the assassin walked right up to the door...and knocked. As he did so he let his invisibility dissipate and the transformation technique activate, disguising him as one of the guards he’d seen. This was going to be priceless.
When Kobuto opened the door, Shinku’s expression would be a worried one and he’d be holding a small piece of parchment.
Kobuto sighed the moment he’d felt the chakra. Someone with something very important. The chakra was high, so it was probably someone important, but Kobuto couldn’t help be aggravated at it.
Kobuto closed the drawer with the S-class nin folder in it. He glanced at the map one final time before reacting. Perhaps rude to make the person wait. He talked as he walked over to his desk.
“Come in! Am I going to have to repeat ‘do not disturb’ unless urgent all day. Someone had better be dying.”
Kobuto closed the Jade Book of Heaven, picking it up as whoever it was the entered.
Entering the room, disguised Shinku saluted to Kobuto, “Apologies Tsuchikage-sama, but one of the walls appears to be under attack. The outer wall guards apparently saw no need to inform you, but I figured you’d rather know than not.” It was just a matter of waiting a few more moments.
“Also, I have a message scroll for you, sir,” disguised Shinku said, raising his hand to give the kage the scroll. He bowed his head in respect, waiting for it to be taken.
Kobuto raised his eyebrow. What were the outer wall guards thinking then? He didn’t move towards the messenger, just opening his Jade Book of Heaven.
“Put it on my desk, seems I have to have words with them.”
He motioned to his cluttered mess of a desk, then started to write across the book. He barely glanced at the messenger.
Wallguard, report~ Tsuchikage.
Words began to write across it.
A goat is the only sign of life I've seen all day. ~North guard
Was it on the Hana Steppe? That one’ll come right up to the rocks by the gate sometimes, only thing to the barren North gate. Oh, and quiet here. Just a few travelers.. ~West Guard
You guys are really bored. Merchant gates open to full capacity, a couple of shady peddlers? Want me to investigate? Could pull some of the slackers goat watching~East Gate
Kobuto facepalmed at the reports.
Nodding silently, Shinku walked to the desk and placed the scroll upon it before he walked to the door, turned to Kobuto and bowed his head. “Sir,” he stated, waiting for the man to look at him. When he did he spoke again, sounding slightly concerned, “I know there’s plenty to do, but don’t forget to get some rest or Su lin will make you.” He then bowed his head once more and left the room, closing the door behind him as he did so.
Stepping out of the Tsuchikage’s office, Shinku slipped into the crowd and shifted back to his normal garb, a grin on his lips as he slipped into a nearby alley, climbed the wall to get to the roof…and waited.
A minute or so later an explosion went off, glass shattered on the top floor of the kage’s office, and Shinku laughed before returning to invisibility and exiting the village. Having the Byakugan had allowed for the assassin to even see the Tsuchikage’s expression of horror and surprise when the explosive tag scroll going off.
The knowledge that others were suffering sure gave him a thrill.
At the scene of the blast, a small part of the message was still intact.
Dear Tsuchikage,
Check your privilege,
Sincerely, Omoitsuku-za.
