"I still don't understand why he's here." Eibani said interrupting the team meeting.
Maruma looked up from the map on the table and their eyes met, though only for a moment then Maruma went back to studying the roads out of the small Momiji Village that led to their objective. He was tired of hearing his uncle complain. Ignored Eibani grabbed his glass of water and lifted it overhead, he was about to throw it on his nephew when one of the two adults at the table grabbed his wrist.
"Your Headband Ceremony is next week, you should act like it little brother." Said Maruma's other uncle, Furō, as he lowered Eibani's hand back to the table.
"He is here to watch as you once were on some of my other missions -"
"But he's a year early and this is supposed to be my graduation mission." Eibani interrupted still glaring at his nephew. Furō waved his hand in front of his jealous brother's face turning the latter's attention to him.
"Yes and I was briefing you, If you aren't too busy staring daggers into Maruma why don't you tell me what we went over so far." Eibani did not break eye contact and grinned.
"Okay!" Eibani said excitedly.
He moved his finger across a path on the map on the table and began to speak.
"We're all here to apprehend the bandits that have been terrorizing villages and towns along this road. According to your information brother, a missing ninja is leading them and his base of operations is somewhere in this area."
As he said the final part of that statement Eibani used his index finger to circle a large area on the map that appeared to be covered in a dense forest.
"Our job is to locate their hideout undetected and capture this missing Nin together..."
Eibani's mood turned sour again.
"Its supposed to be just me and you brother." He said once more glancing angrily at Maruma who met his gaze again, this time rolling his eyes in response to the waves of contempt he felt coming from his young uncle. This enraged Eibani who pointed across the table.
"He lacks respect for his elders, i doubt he has anything of worth to contribute to this mission."
Maruma's Mother, Eibani's older sister, Tayama who has been quietly enjoying her tea finally spoke.
"They market this tea as Gyokuro but I recognize the taste of Kabusecha. Hm, the shop owners are the real bandits." She said breaking their silence.
Furō put two fingers to the bridge of his nose and let out a sigh of frustration.
"I would like to go over the finer points of the mission again if you could be of some help older sister" he said defeated.
His sister took note of that comment.
"I know what I'm doing, I helped you come up with the plan. Im sure my son was listening" She said the second half of that statement while giving her youngest brother the side eye.
Without redirecting her gaze she said. "Maruma show your uncles that you've been listening."
Maruma nodded and pointed to the area on the map Eibani was referring to.
"First Uncle Furō will send out his sparrows to search for the bandit's base at first light. After discovering their hideout we will all move within 200 yards of the area. While Eibani and I keep an eye on the entrance mother and Uncle will secure the perimeter. After the perimeter is secured we will enter as a group. it has been reported that two well known bandits have begun to use ninjutsu. Mother and I will deal with those two and any remaining bandits. Uncles will deal with the real target, Yatogo Ryūgen."
Eibani looked puzzled at the mention of an unfamiliar name, Furo noticed this.
"A chunin that defected from the Ninja Alliance during the 4th great ninja war, you would know if you listened to me the first time." He said annoyed.
Maruma continued. "He is known to be adept at Fire Release but his specialty lie in his shurikenjutsu, his weapon of choice being the Fuma Shuriken. Uncles will engage him in taijutsu with Eibani taking the lead since this is his graduation mission. The target is wanted alive so we are to capture him and deliver him to the next Konoha post."
Maruma began rolling up the map as if the meeting was over then looked up at his older uncle's smiling face.
"Well said!"
Furō's smile remained as he accepted the map from Maruma.
"I'm happy somebody was listening." He said giving Eibani a sidewards glance, My words weren't wasted then."
Eibani grumbled making an unintelligible noise and the group rose from their table and left the tea shop beginning their way to the inn they were staying. It was early in the evening, the sun was still pretty high in the sky. The group made their way through the streets where foot traffic was beginning to slow down for the day. They were halfway to the inn when Maruma's mother spoke.
"I'm going to take a little detour." she said and she immediately split from the group.
Furō could say nothing as he was just a chunin and his sister a jounin. Eibani seeing his chance decided to see if he could get a rise out of Maruma.
He strode a little closer to his nephew and whispered to him. "I heard you were born frail, I was shocked to hear you joined the academy with no issue."
Maruma glanced in the direction of Eibani's voice without turning his head but stayed silent. Not getting the response he wanted Eibani continued.
"I heard that you told my sister you wanted to become a ninja the same night your father was arrested for deserting the Fourth Great Ninja War. An attempt to not be known as the son of a coward Im guessing."
Maruma looked forward his breathing steady, his stride unbroken, he stayed silent and unbothered. This angered Eibani, the lack of reaction. He grit his teeth and growled.
"You're just a bastard, Tayama had you against the wishes of our clans elders. To reproduce with a spineless Kohaku, your very existence dishonors the Saratobi na-."
Eibani's voice was cut off with an audible Thwack as Furō hit his younger brother in the head with a karate chop. The group stopped walking as Eibani crouched to the ground and held his head where he was struck.
"That is enough little brother." He said looking down at him with admonishment.
Eibani looked up at his brother with a scowl. Furō continued.
"As you've no doubt heard when father took me out for my graduation mission it was to capture a lone ninja, same for when he took sister too. They are here to ensure that we are not disturbed" He said pointing at Maruma.
Furō sighed, "One would think that you learned a little humility when you lost top spot to that Hyuga kid."
Eibani rose from his spot on the ground "His Byakugan is strong, but even so I'd rather he be here than this child. It's insulting, almost like you both believe he is as strong as me."
Eibani crossed his arms and Furō turned to continue walking and paused. With his back still facing Eibani he said, "Our sister claims he's stronger."
He began walking and Maruma turned to follow, Eibani noticed the corner of the child's mouth had raised into a smirk. It was a short trip, the rest of the way to the inn, it was also a silent one. After Tayama returned the group finished their preparations for the next day, went over the plan one more time, then went to bed. Everyone was sound asleep except Maruma who was only pretending, one of his eyes opened. He could hardly contain himself he was brimming with excitement.
"Finally, I've been training until I couldn't stand for the past 6 years. All my training has led to this, my debut. I'm going to be a ninja, finally."
He grabbed his sandals and the map then snuck out the window. Running from rooftop to rooftop he made a beeline for the Northern entrance to the town from there he made his way to the designated search area was indicating on the map. Once there he calmed himself closed his eyes then he made the rat hand sign.
"En!" He thought as he activated his technique.
"My sensory technique will work far better than sending out birds to scout. With En I can extend my chakra about 10 kilometers to search for a target"
Maruma stood in that position for a small while until a smile formed on his face.
"Found you." He whispered before taking off into the trees.
He hopped from tree to tree until he came upon a clearing. Where there once appeared to be trees now stood what looked like a large two-floor cabin. Staying hidden he activated his En once again to study the cabin's occupants.
"Two standing guards out front, two roaming guards patrolling the outside of the building, two awake inside by the door, 18 more sleeping inside, three of them on the second floor. One with decent sized chakra asleep on the second floor. That's one ninja and 23 bandits, though a few of them inside feel a little strong for bandits." Maruma thought to himself, "This is going to be fun."
Maruma circled to the back of the building and waited in the trees for the two patrolling guards. Maruma could hear their conversation as they turned the corner, he steadied his excited breath, it was beginning.
A tall slender built, brown haired, dark eyed man with a katana hanging off his hip was talking to a slightly shorter round bald man with two daggers at his sides.
"So I pointed my katana at the lady's throat and said 'Lift up your shirt', an guess what color they were."
"I dunno, White?"
"Pink"
"Wow, you must've enjoyed yourself"
"Yep, I was going to give them a grab, but her father started getting rowdy and she started crying. Tomura put an end to that, you kno-"
The voice was cut off by a silent thomp. The bald man turned to face where his friends voice once was just to see a little black haired tanned skin boy standing on top of his friend's unconscious body. Before he had a chance to even think of sounding an alarm the world faded to black.
Maruma dusted off his hands and muttered to himself "Two down nineteen more to go."
Maruma wasted no time he plucked a hair from his head while making the confrontation seal with his other hand and threw it forward. With a slight poof another him was standing in front of him and it spoke.
"Time to test out my Hair Clone Technique in combat."
Both kids ran opposite directions around the compound and rushed the guards from each side. The moved swiftly under the cover of the night each simultaneously knocking out a guard with a single kick to the face. The guards landed quietly enough that nobody inside was disturbed, the two kids grinned at each other
"Success!" they both thought as they flashed celebratory peace signs at each other.
The duo knocked softly at the door and stood out of the line of sight of the porter's hatch. The small slot slid open with a kerchink and a gruff voice followed.
"It's not time for shift change yet, what do you guys want?"
Eyes peared through the slot seeing nothing but trees and darkness.
"Tch." The man sucked his teeth.
"You guys better not be playing around or I have to report you to Captain Satori like last time"
The Marumas heard a kachunk followed by a second Kachunk, the door was unlocked.
The owner of the voice opened it, "unless you want to be stuck on overnight watch for a wee-."
In a flash Maruma on his left jumped and grabbed the man's head in both his hands and silenced him with a knee to the chin. Before the man's body collapsed to the floor other Maruma whipped around the guard's legs aiming to grab the second guard who was seated behind the door. Unfortunately the guard was able to let out a loud yelp before Maruma grabbed him by the throat and flipped him into a choke slam.
"Do you think they heard that?" One Maruma asked the other as he looked at where other him was standing.
The other Maruma pointed and the first one turned his head. Both were looking in the same direction as he said, "No, definitely not."
There was a hallway lined with rooms, it led to what looked like a dimly lit common area. There was stairs leading to a balcony for the second floor which was covered in shadows. There was even an area that seemed to be the kitchen though there didn't look to be much in the way of dishes. most importantly though the hall was filled with about a dozen sets of eyes staring back at the both of them.
He growled then said to his other, "Save the jokes for when we're not outnumbered."
"How about we make this interesting?" He responded.
"First one to the end? The first one asked.
The other nodded and said, "yup"
immediately the hall began to fill with armed bandits the duo ran for the first bandit closest to them. Maruma delivered a devastating punch to the gut of one bandit sending him flying into the crowd. At the same time the other Maruma dropkicked another bandit in the face. Two of the bandits attempted to grab one of the Marumas but he was too fast, he ducked into a crouching position then sent a sweeping kick to both their chins. The other Maruma jumped high in the air into a tucked back flip then while clasping his hands together he brought his fists down on another bandit's head. The momentum forced the bandit's head through the wooden floor. The duo displayed amazing taijutsu skills delivering head strikes, neck strikes, gut checks, knees to the chin and kicks that incapacitated everyone they attacked. They bulldozed their way through the hall, together taking out another 9 bandits. As one Maruma was finishing off the 9th bandit the other swooped past sailing through the air over his double into the open area.
In victory he shouted, "Ha, im fi-."
A loud screech sounded as soon as Maruma crossed the threshold. In midair he could do nothing as a crescent of flames cut through the air. The words dying in his mouth as a sharp flame bisected him with a diagonal cut from his shoulder to his waist.