Every sound beyond the rush of blood in my veins was blocked out as I sat upright against a tree trunk, its large, hefty branch supporting my weight and Mangetsu's. While I'd blocked out all sounds, shut my eyes and attuned my senses to the Nature Energy gathering in my pathways, I could still sense the boy fidget.
He'd grown over the past five training sessions we had, grown enough that I had little trouble trusting him with my back, and even though there were at least half a dozen others watching over me during this operation, my trust in picking him should've amounted to some value. At least in reducing his anxiety.
But perhaps it'd done the exact opposite and exacerbated it. He'd changed. Yes, he'd grown stronger, faster, fiercer and more skilled with a blade than he ever was but he'd also grown more cautious. The arrogance I met him with had dulled to a mute whimper that only seemed to blossom around opponents he'd already determined beyond a doubt were weaker than him.
That in itself was its own weakness and while I thought it my fault his prodigious arrogance was fading, I also wasn't so opposed to it. I was training his body and tactical thinking at the moment and perhaps this was merely the results of good training. Either way, his current fidgeting disturbed me ever so slightly, an annoying trait to endure at the moment mainly because it was unwarranted.
I sighed and let free the excess Nature Energy, satisfied with the activation of [Sage Mode]. I opened my eyes and saw the world in radiant colours, smells and sounds alike communicating to me through the thinnest bubbles of moisture hung about through the forest leaves and the dew between grasses.
"Why are you pacing so much, Mangetsu?" I asked as I rose to my feet. I'd come barehanded today, there wouldn't be any need for my Bo-Staff, not with this level of mastery and certainly not with my budding abilities in Kaikyo-ken— only one session with Kaizoku and I could sense the rippled beneath the skin of anyone near me and with care…I could achieve a fraction of the destructive power he'd displayed.
That won't be needed today.
Mangetsu looked up at me and gulped, he wore his plain blue armour set— short sleeved vest, combat shorts, sandals and a trusty tanto strapped to his back alongside multiple small pouches.
"I'm not sure what…not sure if I'll be useful." He said, trying not to avoid my gaze. Some clone had likely bullied him into looking everyone save Uchiha's in the eye as a means to build his confidence.
I sympathized with the feeling of uselessness he felt right now. Just about the entire village was up in arms against this one intruder and if the Mizukage was present alongside several ANBU what could he, a lowly Chuunin, contribute?
My hand fell upon his shoulder with a squeeze, I held the unsure gaze of his blue eyes and forced them to harden against mine before I spoke, "Good. There will be many more moments like this, Mangetsu, moments where you feel outclassed by your allies, pathetic in comparison to their capabilities and yet you're asked to be there anyway. There is a reason."
"What?"
"Intimidation. At least, that is a core facet of why we're arranged the way we are today. Another facet is to ensure there's no means of escape for the enemy. Their annihilation must be so complete that should there be a weak breath left to take, there is someone, one of us there to take it."
I let myself smile and tapped his shoulder again, "Today we're capturing the enemy rather than eradicating them, but keep this lesson in mind for the moment you find yourself in this position again, what you contribute is the surety that the enemy is defeated. Do you understand?"
Mangetsu nodded, he seemed like he understood but whether he did or not wouldn't affect the outcome of the day. At the very least, he'll have this moment to look back on when the tables are turned against him.
A crackle of static spiked through my earpiece and with it, Kurohane's voice, "Sir, we've gotten the signal, the Handler has arrived."
"Good, we'll begin pursuit in T-minus five. See you soon."
***
Jay's heart thumped a beat faster in his chest as he landed gracefully atop a tree branch, leaning against the bark he took stock of his surroundings, the Mist was pervasive here growing thicker with every bounded leap he took. He was tempted to take off his glasses but knew better than to rely on his eyes in the mist.
But something's off anyway and it's not just the mist.
Jay prided himself in his sensory abilities and even though the Raikage didn't say so, he believed that was why he was chosen for this mission despite his young age and low rank. It took a delicate touch to Handle fellow Chuunin and even Jounin on an infiltration mission this deep-seated, but thanks to him and to a greater extent his fellows on the inside, they were finally getting something truly valuable out of the Blood Mist village.
A Bone Kekkei Genkai capable of rousing the interest and alarm of their Fourth Mizukage. Lord Ay will be pleased.
He'd always stationed himself at nearby villages and towns around the Blood Mist village, rotating his accommodations in them as often as possible to avoid getting comfortable and suspicious. They were settled far apart and often even on islands as many locals feared the very shinobi established to protect them. Jay couldn't help shaking his head at the thought. But he was fortunate to have been on a relatively nearby town when the Kaguya clan attacked the Blood Mist village and in the reports he received from the agents on the inside, it was an issue large enough of concern that their newly minted Fourth Mizukage took to scene to personally and brutally end the threat.
He hadn't gotten anything close to a look at what occurred but he observed the aftermath and the following clan migrations very closely. The Kaguya were in their sights since that moment and finally, they'd found a way to retrieve one from where the Mizukage had caged them up.
Jay let out a cool breath before leaping off his branch, continuing his approach with care and precision. His mind ran through thoughts and theories, playing back how he and his team had reached this point— they'd surely been discovered now judging by their last communique and Jay had an inkling it was the very source his team had been working that brought about this.
Hisako Yuki…
There was almost no reason to suspect she would betray them for the village she professed to loathe. Jay was already on mission, watching Kirigakure when her mentor was executed on the orders of the Mizukage. And yet, the knot in his stomach continued to tighten as he zoomed further into enemy territory— an enemy surely aware of their presence, their operations.
What other reason would Kuzo demand for a personal extraction? And through this path of all others…
A number of things raised alarm bells in Jay's mind at this entire mess he was walking into. For one, he'd long since passed the point where guard patrol would be stationed and for all his Sensor training, he couldn't pick out a single Kiri-nin but that was quickly assuaged as he drew closer. The second thing that worried him was the use of unestablished escape routes, Kuzo and the infiltration team were basically winging it right now and counting on him to meet up with them at the right spot to verify the package— but something told him it wouldn't matter if the package was truly Kaguya or not, there was no how they would get back into the Blood Mist once they've turned out.
But, of all things that raised the hairs on Jay's neck about this situation, that made his gut scream at him to run, to contact Kuzo again and reconfirm there was no other way to do this…It was the fact that Kuzo called for his help exiting the village at all.
Jay prided himself in being a competent, capable Cloud-nin. He wouldn't be monitoring such a high profile mission otherwise— this was his first A-rank and an unofficial test of his patience, his wit, grace and ability to endure hostile environments. It was going to be the first of many tests before he reached Tokubetsu Jounin, much less Jounin.
But he also knew his limitations, his weaknesses and diving straight into the thick of the Blood Mist to retrieve the infiltration team and their package…was not something he was exactly fully capable of. He was only Fourteen years of age this year and had seen limited combat in his years as a shinobi, this much Kuzo and the others knew and yet…
Jay shook his head free of those thoughts as he gave up leaping from branch to branch as he couldn't make them out any longer in the thickened mist. All that matters is they have it, they have the Kekkei Genkai and are ready to leave. It's too hot right now anyway, this cold war is reaching its boiling point. It's time for them to come home.
With his resolve strengthened he dashed through the forest floor, relying on honed spatial senses to cut through the mist rather than his eyes. Jay flipped through a series of hand seals and expanded his sensor range even further; at this point he should've started to pick up on Kuzo and the team's chakra signatures but all he could sense was— "What!"
Skidding to a stop Jay's heart pounded in his chest as his mind eye was assaulted by the most oppressive chakra he'd ever had the misfortune of sensing. It's denser than Lord Ay's!
Sweat dripped down his forehead as he looked back, finding nothing but the thick, white blanket of the mist. He gulped as for the first time he considered abandoning the mission, leaving Kuzo and the others behind. As it stood he was quietly surrounded by Kiri-nin on patrol, his senses allowed him to chart a smooth path through their blind spots and while that oppressive chakra was still a distance away…it was undoubtedly making its way towards him.
How? Do they know I'm here too? He had no time to save Kuzo and the others, not if that…that…that monster was coming after him. Jay grinded his teeth as he felt his feet and body twist around in shame— that chakra was like a mix of Lady Yugito's and something else, something possibly far more dangerous than just the power of a Tailed Beast.
His eyes went wide at the thought. "No…it can't—"
"Oi!" A voice yelled in a hush, startling Jay into a defensive position, kunai in hand and chakra rising to the surface. "Relax, it's us."
Jay's frown could only deepen as three figures stepped out of the mist, familiar faces surely— Kuzo led the others out towards him, a sack hoisted up on his shoulder contained a chakra signature he'd studied well enough to recognize the taint of the Kaguya Bloodline, the package was here.
But there's something…off. Jay shifted his senses around the team and— "We'd better not get lazy now." Kuzo said, heaving the package, his brows furrowed in concentration, "The Mizukage is personally after us, we've got to book it. Lead the way."
Jay opened his mouth to say something but quickly shut it as he digested Kuzo's words. They confirmed what he'd already dreadfully deduced— that monstrous chakra he'd sensed was indeed the Fourth Mizukage.
"Damn it!" Jay cursed, twisting on his heels as he dashed back the way he came, "How badly did things go in there exactly? The Mizukage's himself?" The team fell behind him, following closely as he winded through the mist, each of them paced after the other like ants in a like.
"Kuzo had the bright idea to sneak in with that girl, Hisako. Let's just say they caught on really fast and we had to break our cover just to escape the gates." L said in a much lower voice than Jay remembered.
His eyes narrowed behind his glasses, he ignored the mist and in a moment of bravery, he put behind the alarmingly large chakra signature that was the Mizukage rapidly closing in on them and even blocked out the other dots that followed. He bit his cheek, sweaty hands clenching around his kunai as instead of outward, he looked inward— at his so-called teammates.
"You guys look fine, you didn't get in a fight?" Jay interrogated with a light laugh, "Or did Kuzo blast everyone with that Lightning Fist?"
"Hahaha." Kuzo, the most calm-angry Jounin, laughed. "You know me, anyone who gets in the wa—!"
A blade deflected Jay's flung kunai as he skidded away from the trio, chakra surging as he swore under his breath, "You fucking imposters. What did you do with the real Kuzo? With my team!"
He couldn't believe it'd taken him so long to realize it. To listen to his gut! The signs were glaring and everywhere and yet—!
"Mwahahahah." The one impersonating L cackled as he stepped forward into the slim ray of light cutting through the mist. In a shimmer his disguise fell to reveal a Demon-Masked man, the others, Kuzo included dismissed their disguises, revealing none other than Hisako Yuki and a Kirigakure ANBU-nin already weaving handseals, producing two Water Whips in seconds.
"Hisako…so much for hating Kirigakure huh." Jay spat at the double agent. She was unfazed, shrank behind the Demon Masked man who was pressing a hand to his ear.
He spoke. "We've been found out, sir."
Jay's eyes widened at the word, his heart leapt in his throat as an instant later the mist began to thin and the massive chakra of the Mizukage he'd believed was an escapable distance away blasted through in a gust of wind that completely dispersed the mist around them as a single man appeared behind him in a flash of shadow.
The air in his lungs suddenly wasn't sufficient and neither were his trembling knees. As much as he wanted to look behind him, to turn around and flee, he couldn't will himself past the primal fear that had overtaken his nervous system. He could only stare at the trio and at the horde of Kirigakure shinobi leaping after the monster that undoubtedly stood behind him now.
"So…you're the Handler," A voice like death spoke behind him. "The mastermind behind all this chaos of espionage and subterfuge."
No, no I'm not. I was only following—!
A freezing cold palm rested on Jay's neck, the scent of the ocean overwhelmed his nostrils. So much so that he began to feel as though he were drowning, he saw himself even, gasping for breath as tidal waves poured over him while everyone stood and watch, enemies or no they stood and watched him drown on—
"Breathe. Inhale…exhale."
Jay did as he was commanded and was thankful for it, without the command he doubted he would have found his breath again. His eyes widened as the hand curled around his neck in a soft yet bottled grip— one he feared if he moved an inch away from would smoothly decapitate him.
The monster…the man…the Mizukage walked around Jay's stoned form to stand before him and for the first time he saw him. Gone were his purple eyes and in their place were slit blue irises, his skin glittered a mix of smooth and scaly, the moonlight glancing off of it with frightening beauty. Two twitching protrusion, barbels flailed from the side of his cheek and some kind of personal mist followed him wherever he moved.
A tear rolled down Jay's cheek and the Mizukage smiled. He made a gesture and the tear rose from its place, dancing before his eyes before being joined, reinforced by water molecules pulled out of the humid air to form a thin senbon. The senbon inserted itself into Jay's cheek, piercing up into his tearfilled eyelids and gently grazing his eyeball. The threat was clear.
"You're going to confess everything you've done to my village to me and when you're done, you're going to betray your village's secrets too. Speak."
"Y-yes...I'm going to b-betray my village to you."
The Mizukage's smile fell and the senbon poking into his eye lost its form.