"Let us go quickly, teacher," Jieren urged.
The sun set.
A horse-drawn carriage, stained with dried blood, sped through the forest road. Dust rose behind it. Inside the bumpy carriage, a puppy whimpered faintly.
Three figures darted through the trees around the carriage. They guarded it, moving fast. Hang protected the Shibauchi family inside.
"Teacher, at this speed, we will reach the Flower Country by dawn, right?" Jieren asked Saidaiji, who led the group.
"Yes, we will hit the Flower Country border soon. We will rest there briefly, then head back. We can reach Sunagakure tomorrow," Saidaiji replied.
"Great. With this mission's pay, I will buy a big house for my family. My sister and father can eat good food," Jieren said. He recalled his excitement after graduating ninja school.
The Wind Country was a desert. Few lands grew crops. Most people bought food.
Life in Sunagakure was hard for common folk. Without ninja skills, villagers sold labor to survive. Jieren's family was poor. His mother died from exhaustion. His father broke a leg from years of work. Jieren's ninja selection saved them.
As a Sunagakure ninja, Jieren earned mission rewards. He thought of his five-year-old sister leaning by the door. "Brother, come back soon," she said.
"I will bring you and Dad tasty food," Jieren promised, heading to the meeting point.
He pictured his sister's rough face, chapped from wind and sand. Jieren touched the face cream in his ninja pouch.
Before leaving, he asked Tatee shyly, "Miss Miyo, how is your skin so smooth?"
"Do not get me wrong. My sister faces wind and sun yearly. Her face dries and bleeds," Jieren explained, flustered, looking at Tatee.
"Oh, I see. Wait, I will give you face cream for her," Tatee said. She climbed into the carriage, rummaged, and handed Jieren a box of cream.
"Miss Miyo gave this to me," Jieren thought, his heart stirring. He recalled Tatee's soft hand brushing his calloused palm. He raised his hand to his nose, catching a faint scent.
A rope snapped across the road.
The horse tripped, its front hoof caught.
The carriage flipped over.
Shuriken flew from all sides, striking the carriage. Several pierced the windows, embedding inside.
"Enemy attack!" Saidaiji, Jieren, and Yang appeared before the carriage. They stood with Takuto, the driver, shielding it.
"Mr. Junichiro, are you safe?" Saidaiji asked.
"Miss Miyo!" Jieren shouted, eyes fixed on the shuriken's source.
The carriage door burst open from inside.
"Is it really happening?" Soda coughed, climbing out, his belly large from his disguise.
Tatee and Dosuke followed.
"Saidaiji, Makoto was hit in the head by a shuriken. He is dead," Dosuke said, crawling out.
"Someone wants me dead. Protect me," Soda said, stumbling behind Saidaiji's group, voice shaking.
"Miss Miyo, do not fear. I will guard you," Jieren vowed, staring ahead.
"Junichiro Shibauchi, what do you do? Why would ninjas risk Sunagakure's wrath to kill you?" Saidaiji asked.
"I am just a merchant. I do not know why," Soda said, panicked, his face pale.
"No. If you do not explain, we abandon this mission," Saidaiji said coldly. Lives were at stake, and unclear clients meant danger, especially for a private job.
"I will talk," Soda said, raising his right hand in a signal.
"Byakugan, open," Tatee said.
Tatee tore her skirt's hem, taking a stance. "Gentle Fist, Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms."
Tatee struck Jieren's body with precise hits, sealing his chakra.
"Secret Technique, Insect Jade," Takuto said. "Water Style, Water Bullet," Dosuke added.
Takuto's parasites swarmed toward Yang. He charged forward.
Dosuke formed a water ball, splitting it into smaller orbs. They shot at Yang.
"Konoha Shadow Dance," Soda said. A sickle appeared in his hand, slashing at Saidaiji.
Saidaiji, caught by a jonin's speed, took multiple stabs to his limbs. He collapsed, unable to move.
Blood seeped from Saidaiji, pooling near Jieren, whose chakra was sealed. He coughed weakly.
"Miss Miyo, you…" Jieren gasped, staring at Tatee, stunned.
Takuto rushed Yang, kunai in hand.
Yang, hit by Insect Jade, sliced countless bugs with his kunai.
He jumped back, dodging Dosuke's water bullets.
"Wind Style, Pressure Break," Yang said, spitting a gust that scattered the parasites. He lunged, throwing kunai at Takuto.
Takuto used a substitution, leaving a log pierced by kunai.
Yang appeared where Takuto reappeared. "Wind Style, Sickle Weasel," he said. A sharp gust severed Takuto's legs.
Takuto screamed in pain.
Yang drew another kunai, aiming for Takuto's head.