Kaoru adjusted his new outfit he was excited to wear. Today was the day Team Shin would embark on their first mission. After two intense weeks of teamwork drills and personal training, Shin had deemed them ready. Their mission was to exterminate the bandits terrorizing villages to the north.

“Once we leave the village, we’ll use body flicker to cover as much distance as possible,” Shin instructed as they stood at the Takimura gates. “You must all follow me without stopping. This is part of your training.”

Kaoru, standing just behind Shin, exchanged a glance with Akane and Mizuki. [So, the training isn’t over. Figures.] He braced himself as Shin flickered ahead, vanishing into the mist. Without hesitation, Kaoru followed.

While Kaoru’s mastery of body flicker was impressive, probably on par with Shin’s in terms of technique, Shin had the advantage in speed and could cover much greater distances in a single flicker. Thankfully, the jonin adjusted his speed to accommodate his team, ensuring they could keep up.

As they moved, Kaoru reflected on how his perception of Shin had shifted. Shin was indifferent and distant, but he was also an exceptional mentor, guiding each of his students with precision.

Shin was personally teaching Akane his sword style and helping her refine her natural talent for close combat. For Mizuki, he provided a rare scroll detailing escape and diversion techniques, something not even available in the Takimura library, at the very least not for genins. And for Kaoru, Shin helped him improve his weakest area—taijutsu.

What surprised Kaoru most was Shin’s generosity. He’d gifted each of them a set of shurikens, kunai, and explosive tags stored in compact storage seals. Storage seals were something Kaoru had been searching for in vain, both because they were hard to come by and because he simply didn’t have the money to buy one. Shin had solved that problem and Kaoru was especially grateful for that, because otherwise he’d have to ask Maki and he had already received too much money from her.

[Shin’s the real deal,] Kaoru thought, flickering to keep pace. His earlier doubts about Shin had vanished. Now, he felt nothing but respect and gratitude toward his sensei.

Their destination was the village most frequently raided by the bandits. They would gather information there, rest for a day, and then make a move on bandits.

As they reached the village, Shin gave them one final warning.

“This isn’t just a mission,” Shin began. “This is your next test. Everything you’ve learned so far will be put to use. Fail to work as a team, and you’ll fail out there.”

Kaoru, Akane, and Mizuki nodded without a word. It was weird but Shin managed to create an actual team from them in just two weeks, they now shared a sense of companionship.

Kaoru glanced at the misty horizon ahead where the faint silhouette of the village was already visible. [This is just the beginning.]

<<<>>>

Maki and Akura walked through the misty forest, they were very frustrated as the Durinu clan was nowhere to be found. The descendants of the blacksmiths who had forged the blades used by Kiri’s legendary Seven Swordsmen were said to be hiding somewhere in these woods. A week of searching had yielded nothing but dead ends.

“I think we’ve searched this whole damn forest,” Maki hissed, kicking a damp branch out of her way. “But there’s nothing. No camp, no tracks, nothing!”

She was extremely irritated but she had a reason. Maki had been on the verge of a breakthrough with a new technique that she was developing, but she had to pause to come on this mission.

“Relax, Maki,” Akura said, with a calm and neutral tone, as usual. “Takimura needs these blacksmiths. We have to find them.”

“Easy for you to say…” she muttered under her breath, though she knew he could hear her. Akura, who could not care less, didn’t react. He’d known Maki long enough to let her grumbling roll off his back. In fact, he found her outbursts cute more often than not. Having practically raised her, Akura couldn’t help but feel a sense of responsibility for her fiery personality.

Maki sighed heavily, kicking at a loose stone on the forest floor. “Fine, then. Summon him. We could use his help.”

Akura frowned. “I hate summoning him in forests. He complains too much.”

“Please,” Maki said, her tone edging on a whine. “I’ll handle him if he gets annoying.”

“Alright, alright,” Akura relented, biting his finger to draw blood. He smeared the blood on the summoning tattoo etched on his wrist, and with a puff of smoke, a massive eagle appeared, its sharp eyes glaring down at him.

The eagle was as tall as two grown men, its wingspan even longer. It flapped its wings powerfully, breaking several branches in the process.

“What the hell am I supposed to do in a forest, Akura?” the eagle squawked, ruffling its feathers. “Why do you keep summoning me in these terrible situations?”

“Sorry, Maru,” Akura said, trying to sound sincere. He cast a sidelong glance at Maki that practically screamed, See? Told you so.

Maki stepped forward with a grin, completely unphased by the eagle’s outburst. “Hello, Maru. Remember me?”

The eagle squinted at her, his sharp beak clicking in annoyance. “Of course I do. You’re even worse than Akura.”

“Thanks,” Maki said brightly, as though he’d paid her a compliment. “Listen, we need your help. There’s a camp somewhere in this forest—ten to thirty people, give or take. We need you to fly up and find it.”

Maru’s feathers ruffled further. “And why, exactly, would I waste my time doing that?”

Maki’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Because if you do, I’ll convince Akura to summon you next to Takime’s waterfall. You remember that place, right? All that open sky and clean water?”

The eagle’s demeanor shifted in an instant. “You mean it?”

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“I promise,” Maki said with a sly grin.

Maru gave a decisive flap of his enormous wings. “Fine, but you’d better keep that promise!”

With that, the eagle soared into the sky, breaking a few more branches on his way up. The massive wings stirred the mist, momentarily clearing it as he rose.

Akura folded his arms, shaking his head. “You’re too good at manipulating him.”

Maki smirked, watching as Maru disappeared above the treetops. “He’s easy. You just have to know his weak spots.”

“Waterfalls and flattery,” Akura muttered under his breath as he remembered how he convinced Maru to sign a contract in the first place.

The two waited in the clearing, their eyes scanning the sky as they anticipated Maru’s return. Whatever frustration Maki had been feeling earlier was momentarily replaced by the amusement of seeing the bird try it’s best to receive the rewards.

<<<>>>

It had taken Mei several days of hard travel, but she finally arrived at her destination—a bustling coastal settlement. Though officially called a village, Shiomura was far more than that. Larger than Takimura but still slightly smaller than Kirigakure, it was the only viable port in the southern region. The economy thrived here, and even Kirigakure, known for its ruthless disregard for others, respected and obeyed Shiomura’s laws to avoid disrupting trade.

As Mei crossed the border into the village, she was greeted by a large sign reading: “Welcome to Shiomura.”

She didn’t plan to linger here longer than necessary. The old man had told her that his disciple loved gambling. Mei decided to start her search at the local gambling houses before expanding her search elsewhere.

The first establishment she entered reeked of alcohol and smoke. The clinking of coins, raucous laughter, and occasional shouts of triumph or frustration filled the air. Barely clothed women hovered around tables, their smiles as calculated as the wagers being made. Mei wrinkled her nose in disgust. She hated places like this.

[Get in, find him, and get out,] Mei thought as she weaved her way through the crowd. Her eyes scanned every corner.

“There are way too many people willing to throw their money away,” she muttered under her breath.

As Mei ventured deeper into the gambling den, a drunken man stumbled into her path. His cheeks and nose were so red they resembled ripe tomatoes, and he reeked of cheap liquor. Mei couldn’t help but smirk at the pitiful sight, but her brief amusement was taken as an invitation.

“Hey, cutie,” the man slurred. “Wanna watch me win some money? Then I’ll spend it all on you.”

Before Mei could respond, the man grabbed her arm.

Her smile vanished, replaced by a glare sharp enough to cut steel. “Remove your hand before I break it,” she hissed, her voice low and dangerous.

For a brief moment, the air around Mei grew suffocating. The killing intent she exuded wasn’t just palpable—it was overwhelming. The drunken man froze, his stupor evaporating instantly under her gaze.

“I-I’m sorry,” he stammered, his voice barely audible. Then he vanished into the crowd.

Mei took a deep breath, “Shit,” she muttered. “I need to keep my temper in check. The last thing I need is to get into trouble here.”

Shiomura was notoriously strict with outsiders who broke the rules. Even if the authorities couldn’t capture her, becoming a wanted criminal here would be a stain on both her reputation and Takimura’s.

[Alright, let’s keep moving,] she thought, resuming her search.

As she continued through the crowded hall, her attention was drawn to a heated argument between two men. One of them had fiery red hair, redder than Mei’s, almost like a blazing torch.

“Found you,” she muttered, her lips curling into a triumphant smile.

Mei slowed her pace, moving closer to the arguing pair. The red-haired man gestured wildly, his voice carrying over the bustling noise of the gambling house. Mei crossed her arms, her sharp eyes narrowing as she listened in.

[Let’s see what kind of trouble you’ve gotten yourself into, Uzumaki Yko.]

“What do you mean you can’t give me more? I made ten storage seals, just like you asked, and now you’re only paying me for five?” Yko’s fiery hair seemed to reflect his rising temper as his face reddened.

“I’m telling you,” the stall owner replied, “you owed me for last time, so I’m deducting it from your payment. Take it or leave it.”

The man’s casual smirk only fueled Yko’s frustration, his anger boiling over. Mei didn’t know if the stall owner was extorting Yko, nor did she care. What mattered was that their argument was drawing too much attention. It wouldn’t be long before someone from the shinobi world recognized Yko’s striking features. If that happened, his identity as an Uzumaki could be exposed, and that would complicate things far more than Mei wanted.

She moved toward them. As she got closer, she picked up speed, plastering a bright smile on her face. When she reached Yko, she slipped her arm through his, her expression radiating cheerfulness.

“There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” she exclaimed, her voice as sweet as honey.

Yko turned to her, his brows furrowed in confusion, but before he could say anything, Mei tightened her grip and pinched his side so hard that he almost yelped in pain.

“Mister, what did my boyfriend do this time?” Mei said to the stall owner, her tone laced with exasperation, her lower lip jutting out in a slight pout. “Did he lose money again?”

Yko opened his mouth to protest, but Mei’s nails dug into his arm, her warning clear. He clenched his jaw, choosing silence over risking further injury.

“No, he didn’t lose money,” the stall owner replied with a chuckle. “We were just having a little disagreement about his payment.”

The man’s smirk widened as he noticed Yko glaring at Mei with barely concealed frustration. [How did this loser land such a cute girl?]

“Yko,” Mei said, her tone taking on a scolding edge, “I’m sure the gentleman here wouldn’t lie to you. Stop making trouble and come with me.”

Her piercing gaze locked onto Yko’s, her eyes silently screaming, Play along.

Yko, utterly bewildered, struggled to make sense of the situation. For a moment, he thought Mei might be one of the girls working in the gambling house, but the sheer weight of her chakra said otherwise. This woman was on a completely different level.

He was about to ask who she was when Mei pinched him again, this time hard enough to make him wonder if she’d torn through his skin. His survival instincts finally kicked in.

“Fine,” he muttered, “let’s go.”

“Listen to the girl, boy, and go home,” the stall owner said with a mocking laugh as he watched them walk away.

Once they were outside and away from prying eyes, Mei let go of Yko’s arm.

“I’ll explain everything later,” she said in a low voice. “You were about to get yourself in serious trouble. Just follow me. I was sent by your master.”

“My master?” Yko echoed.

“Do I need to pinch you again?” Mei shot back, her expression deadpan.

Yko instinctively flinched, raising his hands in surrender. “No, no, I’ll follow. Just... stop pinching me.”

“Good,” Mei said, her lips curving into a faint smirk as she led him toward the village outskirts. [Uzumaki Yko...]

**

A/N -

I need to come up with a unique technique for Maki, something that could potentially become the core of her fighting style. Right now, her approach revolves around speed and taijutsu, but I feel like she’s missing that one defining move to set her apart. If you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear them!

I hope you enjoyed the chapter! ^_^

Character Notes:

Akura - Hated By His Own Summon - “Maki’s temper could scare a raging bijuu, but sure, let’s summon the giant bird that hates me. This is fine.”

Mei – Pinching Enthusiast - “Why negotiate when a pinch to the ribs does the job faster?”

Yko – Regretting His Life Choices - “I should have stayed with sensei…”