Chapter 8: Start of the Mission

Staring at the Hokage in confusion, I repeated what he said.

"Kill a rogue Swordsman of the Mist... and RETURN his blade to Kiri? Why? Shouldn't we be keeping it from them?"

Sighing, the Hokage shook his head. "If this was back during the Third War, or before it, then yes, we would take the blade to demoralize Kiri. However, we are still slowly recovering from the war, not to mention the Kyuubi Incident. Too much has happened, much too quickly. Same for Kiri. They lost quite a few Shinobi during the war. They NEED that blade. Even if I wanted to keep the thing, the Water Daimyo and Fire Daimyo made an agreement. The Land of Water will pay a noble's ransom for the blade. Besides, a conflict with Kiri opens up the possibility of Kumo and Iwa deciding to test their luck invading our lands. That would be the start of the Fourth Shinobi War. So no, you will kill the rogue Swordsman, go to the Land of Tea, and hand the blade over."

Nodding, Shikaku spoke up. "The Land of Tea is, unofficially, the most neutral area in the world. They have too many merchants with connections to too many Daimyos. So, they will be mediating the meeting. When you enter, they will escort you too and from the meeting. Same goes for Kiri, so there is no need to worry about being attacked."

Anko raised her hand with a rare look of seriousness. "Which blade is it? And where is the wielder?"

Shikaku took out the mission scroll, handing it to Kakashi. "Wielder of the Kubikiribocho, Juzo Biwa. Ruthless, efficient. The man is an accomplished assassin, with a bounty in each of the main nations. Last seen on the Southern Border, specifically Sagen Harbor. He's been there for a week now, and we don't know why. So, you all are to leave after this meeting. It's an eight hour journey."

Nodding, Kakashi turned towards us, "Meet at the gate in ten minutes. Make sure you have everything you need. Kunai, tags, whatever."

Saying so, he stood up and then... disappeared. The Hokage chuckled, and Shikaku sat down, leaning back into the couch. Turning to Anko and Kurenai, they were both looking at me. Seems I gotta lead my pack of misfits. Sighing, I bowed again, before turning to leave. Hearing them follow me, I started checking my pouches, taking inventory. I could hear the other two doing the same.

Senbon... Kunai... my two summoning scrolls... pellets... tags... Chokuto... seems like I got everything.

Rushing towards the gate, I turned and asked "Everyone got what they need?"

Anko rolled her eyes, nodding. Kurenai gave a "Yes!" Getting their confirmation, I sped towards the gate.

Waiting in the square, Kakashi stood looking the same as he had at the Tower, the only difference being the Ninjato strapped to the center of his back. His arms crossed over his chest, he was radiating a seriousness usually absent from when he was seen wandering the village.

"Oho, looks here, Kakashi being serious about a mission~ is the world going to end?" mocked Anko. Hearing that, Kakashi's one visible eye rolled.

"Unlike a certain Snake Mistress, I do take these jobs seriously. After all, it's not everyday you are told to hunt a rogue Swordsman. Ready?"

Anko gave a 'tch', before I slapped the back of her head, saying "Yes, sir!"

Chucking, Kakashi turned and left through the gates. "Kanei, no need to be formal. We're ninja, not samurai."

Following behind him, I said "Very well."

Turning slightly, Kakashi asked "Has anyone been to Sagen Harbor recently? I was there five years ago, and haven't looked into it since then."

Anko spoke up. "Was there a few months back. It's growing steadily. Population of a thousand or so. Mainly fisherman and merchants. Recently the Land of Tea has started funding the Harbor, so it's been developing quickly. Quite a few brothels and gambling dens, too. In all, it should have a well developed center, with a poorer outer ring."

Nodding, Kakashi fell back into silence, slightly quickening his pace. Matching him, we made our way south.

Hours slowly passed, very little words being exchanged. Anko tried early to make a crude joke, only for Kurenai to glare at her and Kakashi and I to ignore her. Mumbling to her self, she settled for running behind me, making me shake my head.

Kakashi stopped, leaning against a tree. "We should rest up briefly. We have about thirty minutes before we reach the Harbor. Let's talk strategy. Anko and Kurenai, look around in the town for Juzo. The Tea Merchants should have a good information network, so ask them, before making your way down the social ladder. Kokoro, you and I will search the outskirts of the town. It's hard to hide a blade like Kubikiribocho, so he should stand out. The Swordsman are proud, and they never let the blade out of their sight, not even putting it in storage scrolls. If you find him, flare your chakra if he engages. If not, tear this tag."

Saying so, he handed out a tag, which we all quickly pocketed.

"When we finally engage him, Kurenai, you try to hit him with Genjutsu. If you can, layer it, mess with as many senses as possible. Against someone like him, smaller changes will work better. He'll sense anything large. Kokoro, support us from far. I heard your quite the shot with that bow of yours. If you can, stagger your arrows, and use explosive tags on them. Use decoy tags to make him think every arrow is explosive. Anko, you and I will take him on up close. I'll take him head on, you support. Summons and Ninjutsu, use it all. I'll be fine. Understood?"

We nodded, and seeing that he sat against the tree, closing his eye. "Ten minutes, the we move."

Feeling a slight hunger pang, I popped a nutrition pellet. Kurenai sat crosslegged, her brow furrowed. Anko lounged on a branch. Seeing them, I smiled, before taking my arrow scroll out. Summoning them, I started to carefully wrap tags around the shaft of the arrows. For every three explosive tags, I had one sensor tag as a decoy. Twenty arrows tagged, fifteen explosive, five sensor. Nodding, I placed them back in the scroll. Unsheathing my chokuto and grabbing a kunai, I moved slightly away from the group and started running the edges together, doing some last minute sharpening of my blade. Eventually I sensed Kakashi stood up, so I sheathed my chokuto before placing my kunai in my pouch. Following Kakashi towards the Harbor, Anko ran besides me, staring at the running Kurenai in front of us.

"Y'know, I don't blame you for sleeping with her. She is gorgeous."

"Anko, really? Is sex really the only thing on your mind?"

"No, torture occupies quite a large corner as well."

Shaking my head, I sped up. Hearing her chuckling behind me, I sighed. Why did I fall for this idiot?

Contemplating my life choices, we eventually arrived at the Harbor. Like Anko said, the Center and Portside areas were well made, while a small ring formed around it, slowly going from proper houses to small shanty towns. Narrowing my eyes, I looked around the city, getting a feel for the general layout.

Hearing a pair of 'poofs' I turned to see Anko and Kurenai had henged themselves. Anko changed herself into a long haired curvy beauty, while Kurenai had gone the opposite route, choosing to make herself slimmer and more average. Both nodded, before turning to observe the other.

"Really Anko? We're trying to draw less attention, not more."

"Prostitutes regularly 'attend' the merchants, so I will fit right in. Besides, a merchant in the city owes me for saving his and his families lives and fortune, and this-" Running her hands along her body, "Is what I looked like. His wife didn't appreciate it though."

"Wonder why." Kakashi muttered. Sighing, he shooed them away, watching as Anko strutted into the town while Kurenai disappeared. "How... How do you manage those two? It's constantly a catfight."

"This is all new to me too. Been friends with Kurenai for awhile, and I worked with and was with Anko for over a year now. Individually, they aren't that bad, but... well, you see what they're like."

Shaking his head, he said "I'm praying for you. Well, let's go. They try to be sneaky, and we go in like this, try and draw him out. He might be on edge and show himself prematurely." before turning and making his way down towards the Shanty Town.

When we got close to the outskirts, the smell of unwashed bodies, salt, and trash mixed together, creating a very... unique scent. Scrunching my nose, I stuck close to Kakashi, aware that quite a few eyes were lingering on me, staring at me as if I was a prime cut of meat.

Looking at the hollow gazes of some of the citizens, while also watching the thugs scurry away, I observed the state of people. Hearing a few muffled screams, seeing women clinging towards any passing man, trading their bodies for a few coins, looking at children weaving through crowds, hands grabbing towards pouches, I thanked the Sage I was born in Konoha and not here.

Kakashi turned towards me, nodding his head towards an alleyway. "A group of thugs over there. You go take them, see if they know something. Kill them if you want."

Nodding, I scurried through the crowd, using a henge to change myself into an emaciated woman, deciding it would be easiest to present myself as a whore looking to make some money. Making my way down the alley, I started adjusting my 'dress' so that it would show just enough cleavage if someone taller than me looked down.

Standing at the center of the alley, a three burly men stood next to a door. Inside, I could hear moans and laughs. Swaying my hips, I started to approach the group of thugs. One of them turned towards me, and seeing how I was dressed and walking, he started waling towards me, licking his lips. Grabbing my hand, he placed it over his crotch, allowing me to feel his hardness through his pants. Sneering inwardly, I moved closer to him, clinging to his side, gently running my hand up and down his pants. Looking up at him through half lidded eyes, I whispered "Why don't you take me inside, where we can have some 'proper' fun, huh big boy~"

His grin widened, and he looked back towards the two other, saying "Look at that boys, we got some entertainment! I'll go first, then come get one of you. Been awhile since I had a good fuck!" As he spoke, his hand moved to my ass, giving it a squeeze. Moaning slightly, I clung to him tighter, whining "Well come on, fuck me!"

He laughed, dragging me quickly through the door. Inside was a smoky haze, coming from a large round table where a dozen men were passing a kiseru around, taking huffs. The table was littered with coins, bills, and cards. Taking stock of the room, I saw three doors on the right, where loud moaning and grunts could be heard. On the left was another set of three doors, but it was silent. If I had to guess, that meant there were two outside, the idiot next to me, the dozen at the table, and at least three in those right rooms.

Keeping my act up, rubbing my breasts on his arm while he dragged me to one of the rooms on the left, some of the men jeered and sent crude remarks towards me. The man grunted, ignoring them, before throwing me into a room. Letting one of my dress straps fall off my shoulder, I could see him staring intently at my chest, ignoring my hand reaching towards my hair. As he moved closer, undoing the buttons on his belt, I took one of the senbons and flicked it, watching with a grin as it flew through his throat, sticking into the wall behind him. His hands flew up to the hole in his throat, trying to stop the bleeding. Unfortunately for him, the senbon had a thin coat of poison that reacted only to blood. He started clawing at his throat, gurgling as the poison spread through his body. Grabbing him, I tossed him gently onto the bed, giving him a sultry smile. "Having fun? Cause I sure am~"

Watching him die, I dropped the henge, keeping my senses tied to the door, listening for any approaching footsteps. Hearing none, I took the senbon from the wall, drawing out some more from my pouches. Placing one between each finger, I took a deep breath, before gently opening the door. Taking a glance, I noted the positions of the men, before stepped out of the room, throwing the senbon. Six needles zipped through the air, piercing the skulls of six men. Drawing another six, I threw those quickly after, giving no one time to react. Soft thuds were heard as some men slumped onto the floor or tables. Making my way to the right side doors, I cleared each one, killing the men the same as the rest. Of course, the woman who were doing their 'job' were frightened, but after claiming their mouths shut, I handed them a bill I snagged from the table, telling them to keep quiet.

I checked the left side rooms, seeing three sleeping men in one, while another had a man bound and naked, long gashes covering his skin. I walked back to the sleeping me, waking them up just to knock them back out, before using the bedsheets to tie them up. When I was done, I henged back into my previous form, ruffling my hair and letting my dress loosely cling to my body. Opening the door, the two guards widened their eyes when I beckoned them inside, biting my bottom lip. Both licked their lips before rushing inside. It took them a moment to realize everyone was dead, and when they did I had stabbed their shoulders with my chokuto, making them drop to their knees in pain. Smirking, I dragged them to the back of the room, throwing them into a chair. While I wasn't officially in the Seduction Corps, most Kunoichi learn how to use their body to complete a mission, and I was no different. These kinds of people were easy to seduce, and quick to spill their secrets.

Time for an interrogation~