“Halt! What business do you have in Nochi City?” Demanded a city guardsman as he leveled his spear, keeping an odd couple at a acceptable distance. The two of them’s clothing was torn to shreds, yet no visible injuries aside from the cloth covering the woman’s eyes. The guard’s eyes lingered on her. Long bright red hair to her waist, pale skin, symmetrical face, and a shapely body. ‘Hmm, it’s a shame she’s blind’ he somberly thought.

“Hrrrm” The man next to the her cleared his throat drawing the guard’s attention, a frown fixed on his face when he curtly replied “We’re here seeking refuge.”

“You’re refugees then? Plenty of folks like you pass through here. Let me check something...” said the guardsman as he planted his spear into the ground and withdrew a bingo book. He leafed through the pages glancing at the man every now and then. The guardsman didn’t normally pull out the state issued bingo book for wanted criminals and enemies of the state, but he was sure the dark eyed man before him was of the dangerous sort. So to be sure, he checked it for the both of them.

With a pop, he closed the book before pocketing it. “Welcome to Nochi City!” He cheerfully stated, before waving the couple through the guard post.

The guard watched as they walked further into the city until he lost sight of them in the busy street. He turned his head and scanned the crowd until he found who he was looking for, finding him he waved them over.

A man that could be described as a stereotypical street thug leisurely made his way over to the guard station.

“Yo! You find a good mark?” He asked with a cocky smile.

“Yeah, two actually... a young man and woman, refugees. The man might put up a fight, he has dark hair and eyes. The woman is a looker with long blood red hair and is blind. I think she might be the type your boss likes.” Reported the guard.

“Ohh, sounds promising. I’ll arrange for your payment to be left at the usual place once we’re done. See ya!” Said the thug cheerfully as he left to gather his crew.

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“Hmm, we’re being followed.” Said Sato in mild amusement.

“I know, they’re not exactly subtle...” answered Rina as she watched some of the thugs shoulder their way through the crowd behind them with her byakugan.

“Lets see what those idiots want from us.” Soto calmly said as he steered Rina towards an alleyway. They followed the path around a corner to a dead-end where they calmly waited. After about five minutes ten thugs armed with an assortment of pipes, cheap knives, and a sword rounded the corner with smug smiles and leering grins on their faces.

The thug armed with a sword stepped to the front of his gang identifying himself as the leader and said while leering at Rina. “When they said you were a pretty one, they weren’t exaggerating. I think I’ll sell your friend and keep you as my pet.”

Her pale face flushed with anger, she then said with venom “Slavers then...” Sato nodded to her before shooting towards the gang leader who then swung his sword at him, before the blade could complete its ark the gang leader found his wrist in an iron grip. Sato then delivered a swift strike at the man’s extended elbow shattering it before stripping the sword from him. Then in a flash he severed the arms of two thugs attempting to bludgeon him with pipes and planted his new blade into the eye socket of a third.

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A moment after Sato reached the gang leader, Rina had jumped over him and into the midst of the thugs. She landed on a thug’s head with a powerful stomp and as he crumpled to the ground, she delivered another stomping kick to a surprised thug’s chest sending him flying into another and slamming them both into a wall. With her feet now planted on the ground Rina threw a punch into a short thugs face as he tried to stab her, then twirled to her left to avoid the swing of a pipe and round house kicked another thug’s neck in one smooth motion. She turned toward the now last remaining thug. With his gang destroyed in less than thirty seconds, the man stared wide eyed at the sight before him. His pipe shaking in his grip, he managed to take a step back before a knife sailed through the air and planted itself into his left eye. Rina turned around to see Sato crouched in front of the injured gang leader, he said to the man “Let’s have a little talk...”

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“I’m glad we helped those people, nobody deserves to be sold into slavery.” Rina said cheerfully as she walked arm in arm with Sato through the Market district of Nochi City. They freed 15 people that were locked in cages like animals at the gangs base at an abandoned warehouse. The leader was more than willing to provide the location after some “gentle” convincing from Sato. They also cleared out the safe that Rina found, they kept enough money to buy what they needed and gave the rest out to the people they saved.

The two were making their way to a particular store geared towards ninja or wannabes more often than not. Sato glanced at Rina as they walked, he was still surprised with her. When they were younger he never saw her straight up kill anyone like she did with that slaver gang. He squeezed her arm gently in acknowledgment as they arrived at their destination. A small store front with a worn sign that simply read “Yuwa’s Shadow Sales”. They entered and were greeted by the owner, a short wrinkled old man with tanned skin and what seemed a permanent scowl on his face. “You youngsters better have money, if not then get out!” He said with annoyance.

Rina replied with a laugh “Relax Gramps, we’re paying customers.” preventing Sato from giving an angry response by pulling him with her into the maze of shelves.

The two re-emerged some time later and placed the items they wished to purchase or the counter. The old man glanced at them in mild surprise, realizing they were the real deal from what they picked out. He was used to local idiots playing dress-up and buying stuff they thought looked “cool” or made them look tough. He went and tallied up the items.

“2 packs, 2 pouches, 2 belts, a pair of striker gloves, a gray flack vest, medium roll of paper, 4 ink vials, 2 ink brushes, a bundle of kunai, and a spool of wire...” the old man muttered to himself as he worked. When he stated his price the woman pulled a wad of cash out of her cleavage and gave him exact change. The shopkeeper, distracted for a moment hurriedly thanked them for their patronage as they left.

With packs to place their belongings in, they set out get some new sets of clothes and necessary supplies. Sato bought some grey and white shirts to go under his new flack vest and dark pants, while Rina bought clothes in the style of what she normally wore. She returned to Sato from a changing room wearing a short blue kimono style dress with white wave patterns, a white sash tied around her waist, mesh under shirt, and black shorts. They continued to walk the city buying what they needed until nightfall, spending the last of their funds on a room for the night in a comfy inn at Rina’s insistence.

She wanted a private bath, Sato couldn’t really complain. He didn’t like the idea of bathing with strangers at a public bath either.