Genma chewed so hard his senbon bent between his teeth. It wasn’t the first time he’s forced the straight metal weapon to bend like so and he was certain if troublesome situations like this kept creeping up in his life, it wouldn’t be the last.

He hefted the gift wrapped package, pulling the weight with him as they walked as carefully as they could through an all obscuring mist. This was the last place he wanted to be but duty called and he answered.

How could he, no, how could anyone say no to the Fourth Hokage? The hero of the war, venerated saviour of the Hidden Leaf? Genma couldn’t, it was especially hard to refuse or even think of refusing given the man had begun teaching he and a select two his legendary jutsu.

The very same that won the war. Genma had little expectations for what he’d be able to accomplish upon learning it, if he did anyway. Lord Fourth had already warned that the jutsu was extremely difficult to pull off and the reason he was teaching a trio rather than passing on to an apprentice or student, was because of their role as the Hokage’s guardsmen.

Another relatively new position fashioned on the Fourth’s whims but one he was a part of, one his records would reflect. He could all but smell his Jounin promotion if this mission goes well but Genma couldn’t shake the feeling of unease as they continued to creep through a craggy valley swollen with mist.

A crow fluttered onto Aoba’s waiting forearm, the creature twisted its head as it chirped and Aoba stared intently at it through those shadow gutted, red framed sunglasses of his. He fed the bird and released the summoning as he turned to the rest of the team.

“We’re getting close,” He said, reporting directly to the mysterious man set in charge of their entire mission. “There are clumps of shinobi nearby and there’s something like a base or station coming up on our right soon. Nothing about gates or a village though.”

Genma didn’t have a problem working with anyone and Aoba was no exception to that, but he did wish the Lord Fourth had at least assigned Raido or perhaps even Iwashi. More than anything though, Genma wished their assigned team lead was a man he was more familiar with rather than a nobody that seemingly comes highly recommended.

Genma’s been an active shinobi and participant in the last war, he was a veteran eagerly awaiting a promotion to Jounin in these tumultuous times of peace, much like many of his rank and generation. But for all that battlefield experience he’s never once glimpsed or even heard of the man named Kinoto.

Their team leader had moderate spiky black hair and had stunningly dark eyes that held more mystery than Genma wished to notice. He was tall and could have been a year or five older than Genma himself, his muscular stature spoke to a fully developed and grown body rather than his own which was phasing out the final trials of puberty.

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He had a tanto strapped to his back and two well stocked weapon pouches hung from his flak jacket.

“We’ll be meeting those shinobi soon, I’m sure they’ve taken note of your crow summon already. Let’s keep moving but remember, be cautious, be ready.” Kinoto said.

““Sir.”” Aoba and Genma chorused, they shared a tense look but in the oppressive atmosphere neither of them wanted to talk.

As comforting as some words would be right about now, there wasn’t much left to say. Genma had worked with Aoba on some missions before and they’d even met on the battlefield, both fighting against Konoha’s enemies. Beyond that the journey from the Land of Fire to the Land of Water was a long one that took three days on foot and nearly two weeks on the sea due to complications.

In that time Aoba and Genma kept each other company as their team lead, Kinoto, didn’t seem to understand the concept of team rapport at all. In fact, Genma would go as far as to say he looked down on it.

Kinoto may smile every now and then but there was no emotion behind those eyes, no truth to his imitation, not even a sliver. The man gave him as much chills as the implications of coming to the Land of Water did.

The Seven Swordsmen of the Mist battling to life and death against Might Duy would never leave his memory as moments before that it was his life on the line and he was most certainly going to die.

Genma hoped whoever was coming to greet them— if there would be a greeting and not a battle— wasn’t any part of the Seven Swordsmen. He did the math in his head when Lord Fourth told them their mission and he already knew that in all likelihood he wouldn’t get to cross paths with any survivors of the fearsome Might Duy because Kirigakure wouldn’t send such high valued shinobi to escort them unless it was to their death.

No, he’d have a greater chance running into them within the village. At the thought, Genma wondered what Kirigakure was like? What kind of place was their enemy’s home?

He shook his head, spat out the bent senbon and replaced it with another. He thanked Might Guy’s father for being there that day and more than anything, he thanked his lucky stars that Might Guy was on his team to begin with. Now he just hoped his lucky streak wouldn’t turn sour now.

They’d walked quite some ways into the valley and as Genma begun to feel pressure from the presence of shinobi, the mist began to clear. Not completely but enough that he wasn’t concerned about losing a teammate to it.

A figure approached from the depths ahead, pushing the mist aside as they raised their hands and waved a red scroll tied with what looks like the Mizukage’s seal. Kinoto and Aoba relaxed seeing the man but Genma’s muscles remained taut even as Kinoto returned the gesture and waved a blue scroll with the Hokage’s seal on it.

Their team met the man and he greeted them. Kinoto was quick to introduce them all, “This is Aoba Yamashiro, that’s Genma Shiranui and I am Kinoto, the leader of this delegation. The Fourth Hokage has sent us in peace and with gifts.”

Receiving his cue, Genma stepped up and prepared to hand the gift wrapped box to the man that’d introduced himself as Ganryu but he halted the approach and said, “That will have to wait. It’ll pass some inspection when we get to the village before we hand it back to you and let it you present it to Mizukage-sama yourselves. Now, if you’ll follow me, unless you have another way through this mist, I’ll be your guide. Welcome to Kirigakure.”

Genma snorted and chewed harder on his senbon, grateful to have a guide out of the mist and relieved the worst case scenario is not to be. Now just to avoid any Legendary Swordsman…easy enough.