Chapter 42

Wind Country

Ryoma, Jonin of Sunagakure

"Our mission will be an extended escort accompanied by a large number of common soldiers and samurai." Jonin Sho, their Field Commander for this mission, began between bites of his riceballs. His demon-mask was pulled up and to the side, keeping his eyes covered but revealing a strong jawline and lips that naturally settled into a frown. "I believe it is plainly apparent that we should maintain a polite, professional attitude around the samurai. No matter how rudely they might act."

"What if they try to pick fights with us?" The medical ninja Sugimoto asked, chomping down upon his own snacking rations.

"Inform either Second Ryoma or myself, we will handle it from there." Sho nodded authoritatively, then turned towards him. "Second Ryoma, let me handle it if I'm available. If I'm not available, use your best judgement to resolve the situation in our interests."

Meaning in a way that supports their secret, third objective if possible. Ryoma nodded to show that he understood, using a wooden straw to drink from his canteen of water. The straw was advantageous, as it let his face-veil hang normally and kept his cool and hip vibes up.

Not that he was lacking too-too much, considering the immense slack form of the Great Bolter he was leaning back against. It had been carrying them overland for most of their journey so far at the most furious pace its wheels could manage. That was about as fast as the average Jonin jogging, sans any actual speed-enhancing Jutsu like the body-flicker being used.

Which was… it sounded better on paper than it actually was, if Ryoma was being frank. It was only about this fast over large stretches of open, mostly flat ground and the moment a Jonin bothered to start expending chakra they'd massively outpace it.

It was still Ryoma's fastest puppet overall, and it kept all of them fresh for the trip. Jogging there on foot would take way more energy than riding on and inside the big wooden spiderbox.

"With that in mind. We'll decide on team structure now." Sho continued, taking another bite. "One of the teams will have myself as its leader. The other team will have Jonin Ryoma as its leader. This will necessitate breaking up Team Nagare for the time being."

"Breaking up my team?" Nagare replied with a small frown.

"Mhn. Both teams will require an individual who knows of our third objective to lead them, in case the parameters for it present themselves over the course of the mission." Sho explained succinctly. "With that in mind, we will need to organize these teams in accordance to what talents are available to each member…"

"So this is the part of the mission where we list off our skills, huh?" Sugimoto commented with a wry smile, sitting cross-legged in the shadow of the Great Bolter. He shrugged, reaching back to tap his back. "As you can see from my coat- I'm a Medical Corps member. I'm proficient in water-style medical ninjutsu specifically, and can handle myself in melee. I know a few genjutsu, but don't ask me to rely on them."

Sho nodded. "I am the Vice-Captain of the Weapon Corps. Accordingly, I am the second-most proficient expert of conventional ninja combat in the entire village, after Captain Buki. I have passable proficiency in fire and wind ninjutsu, as well as in puppetry strings, cloth sealing, hand-to-hand, and genjutsu."

A pretty diverse set of skills for one man. Befitting of someone labeled 'vice captain'.

"I am a member of the ninjutsu corps. I specialize in water-style ninjutsu, though I am proficient in wind, fire, and earth as well." Nagare started, leaning forwards slightly as she spoke. "I am passable in hand-to-hand and genjutsu as well."

"I'm not a member of any corps." The pink-haired chunin that was once part of his remedial lessons declared. Mao nodded firmly, looking much more serious and composed than he remembered her being. "I specialize in using this sword, along with fire-style ninjutsu. I know a bit of hand-to-hand and genjutsu too."

"I'm a member of the Shiki Corps!" The grey-haired genin that Ryoma was pretty sure he had never seen before declared. "I can use our signature warfan fairly well. Nagare-Sensei is teaching me some elemental ninjutsu to expand my repertoire."

"I'm a member of the Sealing Corps." The other genin, the slightly rotund young man with a helmet, said confidently with a wide frown on his face. "I can perform the cloth-binding seal and a handful of elemental ninjutsu, but I'm not a slouch in hand-to-hand either!"

None of these responses were filling him with confidence about their long-term survival. Ryoma figured it was about time for him to speak, but Tsubame started talking just as his mouth opened.

"I specialize in weapon use and close-ranged combat." She began flatly. "Due to a long term injury, I am incapable of performing most forms of ninjutsu. My long-term assignment from the Lord Kazekage is the escort and protection of Jonin Ryoma, and as such I will need to be a part of the team he leads during this mission."

Ryoma glanced her way and raised a brow, checking to make sure she was done introducing herself. She returned the raised brow with one of her own. He turned back to the rest of the ninja present and nodded. "I'm a member of the Puppet Corps-"

"You're Ryoma the Braggart!" The rotund genin declared with a raised fist and a passionate gleam in his eye. "The savior of the Tanigakure ninja and a hero of the Third Ninja War!"

If by 'savior' the genin meant 'one of the chief conspirators to destroy their independence', then sure. What an unexpectedly sharp barb to the chest. Being some kind of hero of the third war was likewise news to him. "That's a bit much, don't you think kid?" Ryoma asked dryly, making the young man flinch back and give an awkward huff.

"Right- I apologize. I let my enthusiasm get the better of my manners." Benki said with closed eyes and a deep frown.

"You know this guy, Benki?" Tsubasa asked with a raised brow, pointing a thumb towards him. Benki hesitated, glancing at her then back to him. Ryoma gave a little wave of the hand and leaned back, curious about what the genin was about to say.

Benki nodded and turned to his fellow genin to explain. "You remember all those documents that got declassified last month?"

"Wait- the ones about that 'secret weapon' you wouldn't stop rambling about?" Tsubasa asked, leaning forwards slightly in recognition.

"Exactly!" Benki snapped his fingers, then pointed at Ryoma firmly. "Most of them revolved around its maker and user- the puppetry prodigy Ryoma and his deployments of it! He was already a Jonin for a year at our age, doing S-ranked missions to stop coups and save daimyos!"

It took a moment for Ryoma to figure out what the kid was talking about. It then hit him. "You're talking about that mess over in Tea Country?" Ryoma asked with a dry exasperation. "You really shouldn't take things out of context."

"Gh- Sorry again!" Benki nodded his head.

"More importantly." Sho interrupted with a frown. "Jonin Ryoma hasn't completed his skill outline."

Ryoma nodded towards the vice-captain and continued with his self assessment. "I use a number of combat puppets, as you can see." He rapped his knuckles back against the hull of the Great Bolter. "Almost everything they fire is either poisoned or explosive, so if you get nicked then make sure to tell someone about it-"

"What kind of poison?" Sugimoto asked with a raised brow.

"Suna Standard Paralytic Three." Ryoma replied, to which the medic nodded in understanding. "I'm proficient in wind and earth style ninjutsu, and I'm starting to dabble in fire and water ninjutsu. I can hold my own in hand-to-hand and in genjutsu use. Overall, I'm best suited for close combat roles. My long-range options are limited."

"What puppets do you have available?" Sho asked with a thoughtful frown.

Ryoma reached into his vest to withdraw a scroll, then unsealed a mk2 Bolter in a puff of smoke. A small, rectangular puppet with a central 'barrel', a single wooden eye, four thin legs, and a canister of compressed, poisonous, explosive gas. "My most common puppets are my Bolters, the Great Bolter, and the Great Dragoon." There was no need to mention his puppetarmor right now. It was mostly just a supporting element for his close combat capabilities anyways. "They're suited for general disposable usage, transportation, and massed combat scenarios respectively."

"With the Lord Kazekage's orders to seek opportunities to utilize your Great Dragoon, any team built around you should be built to alleviate its weaknesses." Sho nodded. "What are they as you understand them?"

What a distinctly suspicion-arousing question. Ryoma raised a brow. "It lacks precision, and is generally slow and cumbersome. It also has no real way to take targets non-lethally. I'm well protected by it, so medic Sugimoto is probably best reserved for your team. Likewise, a fan-user is redundant with its wide-range attacks."

This content has been misappropriated from NovelPhoenix; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"That would mean Genin Tsubasa will be part of team one. I presume that Jonin Tsubame can provide a precision-element to account for the first weakness?" Sho asked.

"I can." She replied confidently.

"Slow and ponderous…" Sho frowned, repeating the weakness aloud and clearly considering it. "We will operate in two brackets of general mobility then. My team will be the mobile element, your team will be the static element. Jonin Nagare, are you faster than Chunin Mao and Genin Benki?"

It was almost insulting to ask a question like that, if a Jonin was slower than a Chunin or Genin. Nagare pressed her lips together, before nodding. "I assume I will be part of team one then, and they will be part of team two?"

"Benki's proficiency in the cloth-binding seal technique will also alleviate the Great Dragoon's deficiency in nonlethal capture." Sho declared, shifting his mask back into place over his face. "Chunin Mao's file said that she has been deployed on a mission under Ryoma's command in the past- so that should be familiar ground for her. Second- do you have any input into this arrangement?"

Ryoma tapped his chin with his index finger a few times, thinking the distribution over. A vice captain, medic, ninjutsu specialist, and fan user on one team. Jonin, Jonin, Jonin, Genin. Meanwhile, he would be working with a Jonin, a crippled Jonin, a Chunin, and a Genin. Two of which he didn't have a strong familiarity with.

On paper, his group was simply weaker in a head-to-head combat footing. On the other hand, he didn't think moving anyone around would necessarily be a wiser move here. Slowing down the mobile element wouldn't be wise, while switching out their fan user for the swordsninja would remove their cheap and easy wide-range attacks for the dubious benefit of having a slightly more-fit chunin on their side.

He sighed and shook his head. He'd have to work with what he got. "No- that team arrangement seems to be the best we're going to get unless the mission comes across some very specific team requirements later on."

Sho nodded. "The teams can be re-arranged if the matter arises."

And that was that.

—

"It looks like we'll be working together again, Ryoma-sensei." Pink-haired Mao commented as they traveled, sitting in the back of the Great Bolter as it sped down the stone roads of Wind Country towards the Land of Rivers.

Ryoma was driving them, sitting in the piloting chair near the front of the massive puppet, but that didn't take up most of his attention. So long as they were traveling in a straight path, he could keep the Great Bolter going straight and steady with just the chakra-strings produced by his feet. "Hm- Yes, it seems like that's the case. It's been a few years, hasn't it?"

Tsubame poured a cup of tea from a heated kettle, stepping lightly over the gently-rocking puppet interior and handing it over to him. He took it with a thankful nod, detaching his veil to sip it. The back of his head was obscured by the back of his chair, so the two in the back couldn't see his face anyways at the moment.

"It has." Mao nodded, a little smile coming to her lips.

"Wait a minute. Sensei? Mao, was The Braggart your Jonin..?" Also sitting in the back was Genin Benki, who looked downright fascinated with the fairly bare interior of the large puppet.

"No." Mao shook her head. "I attended remedial lessons a few years ago, and Ryoma-sensei was the one who taught the class. He wasn't my dedicated Jonin sensei, but I learned much from him."

"I mostly taught you all how to take missions, where things in the village were, and gave a few general tips." Ryoma shook his head. "Everything else was the product of your own hard work and dedication, so be proud of it alright?"

Mao huffed, before shaking her head with a smile. "Alright, Ryoma-sensei."

The rest of their two-team group were currently sitting on top of the Great Bolter, rather than being packed inside like sardines. Ryoma wasn't sure if the whipping sand up there was really any better, but the breeze from their moderate pace was probably pretty nice and cool.

"So, Miss Tsubame-" Mao began with a hint of mischief in her voice. "-Are you and Ryoma-sensei dating?"

Ryoma huffed. Tsubame raised a brow. "We are not romantically involved, no." Tsubame replied calmly, holding the kettle of tea and sitting down on the side-bench near the piloting seat.

"Drat, not even a hiccup, huh?" Mao huffed, leaning back on her chair. She bounced once as the Great Bolter went over a particularly large bump in the road. "I thought I had teasing-material there."

"There's plenty to tease her about, don't worry." Ryoma replied flatly. "Her constant antics and general profanity are a nuisance around my property."

"Neither of those things are true." Tsubame denied the blatant lie he had just told with a flat and annoyed expression.

"Wait- around your property?" Mao blinked. "You live together?"

"I own what used to be an inn outside of the walls." Ryoma explained with a roll of his hand, then he took another sip of the tea. "I live in one of the rooms, and I rent out a few of the spaces to other ninja. It's convenient to have someone else watching the property when I'm out on a mission."

"I see…" Mao considered that, reaching up to cup her chin. "If there's a room available and then rent isn't too bad, then it might be better than my current place…"

"There's eight rooms available if you're still interested after the mission." Ryoma shrugged. "Rent is just enough to cover utilities plus ten percent as insurance for damages."

"I- I might take you up on that offer, if it's alright!" Benki declared with an excited chopping on his hand and an enthused frown. It was a strange expression.

"Eh? Yeah it's fine. I wouldn't tell you there were rooms available if I minded you potentially moving in." Ryoma quickly dedicated a hand to the controls of the Great Bolter for a section of particularly damaged road, actively wiggling the legs to absorb the incoming shock effectively.

"...So you live together, and she's been ordered by the Lord Kazekage to guard you… This is just the plot of Icha Icha : Hot Wind Blowing!" Mao declared with a snap of her fingers and a triumphant smile. "There's definitely something lovey-dovey going on there, I just know it!"

"There better not be, otherwise I'd be cheating on my date." Ryoma finished off the tea, returning the veil to his lower face and handing the cup back to the blank-faced Tsubame.

"You haven't gone on a date with Chunin Yuki yet, technically." Tsubame reminded him, carrying the cup and kettle back to the back of the puppet-interior. "That's scheduled for your return."

"Bwah- so you are dating someone, but it's not the woman you live with?" Mao asked with a look of shock and despair. "That's like- spiritually cheating already!"

"I actually live with two women- another rents a room from me." Ryoma pointed out.

"My old sensei is a playboy!" Mao said in a panic, standing up and quickly starting to pace, hands on either side of her face. "This is dangerous- what if he accidently seduces the wrong noblelady and it makes our client jealous and endangers the mission!?"

"I'm fairly sure that's not happenin-" Ryoma began to reply with a dry and skeptical tone.

"Oh no!" Mao interrupted, slapping her cheeks. "What if he seduces Nagare-sensei and endangers the mission that way- compromising her ability to make objective judgement in the field and letting disaster slip through!"

"I think you need to calm down." Ryoma actually turned now, leaning to the side of his chair to look back at her with his own eyes. "You've been spending too much time reading unrealistic smut stories, and it's bleeding into your thought processes."

"Don't lie to me! You definitely find Nagare-sensei attractive!" Mao declared in an accusatory manner, thrusting a finger towards him powerfully. "No man could resist her huge jugs and charming weirdness!"

"She likes mayo way too much for any romance to work out between us." Ryoma declared, shaking his head firmly. "I've seen the way she eats her fried fish- it's nauseating."

"I'm glad to know that you won't endanger the mission by seducing Jonin Nagare on account of her preference in condiments." Tsubame said in a flat and precise tone, clearly outlining just how ridiculous this entire line of conversation had become. "That's one less woman to clutter your ever-growing harem, legendary playboy ninja Ryoma."

"Don't you start too." Ryoma replied with a grumble. The mirthful glint in her eyes told him that she was enjoying the chance to harass him. "You live in my closet, you know exactly how empty my bedroom is."

"SHE LIVES IN YOUR CLOSET?!"

In hindsight, not the best thing to say in front of the pink-haired shipping-menace.