Let It Burn: Death [Sasuke Uchiha]

Chapter 30

While sailing on the water, the air was much cooler with a thick fog blocking their vision in all directions. There were other merchants and villagers making the trip to one of the various ports they would be stopping at, but at least it wasn't too crowded.

"First it'll be the Land of Water, then we will stop in the Land of Woods before reaching Forests," Kenji stated to Jiro and Mai.

The three stood leaning against the wrap around railing, watching those on board mulling about. Kura had retreated below deck with Seiji and Toshi. Masa scouting the ship to be sure there were no Claw Ninja lurking about.

"Are we the only ones from Forest present?" Jiro questioned.

"So the manifest says. All the same be alert."

When docking in the Land of Water the only two to go ashore were Jiro and Seiji. Mai was given watch duty of the diplomat, sitting on one of the private bunks while Kura sat in a chair scanning the documents from her bag. There was a small window on the far wall where they could just view the market.

"Mai?" The voice drew the ninja's attention from staring at the ceiling to look the young woman in the eye. "How did you become a ninja?"

There was a beat of silence before the Be Fong answered, "It's a long story..."

"We have time."

"It's nothing special. All kids that show signs of chakra start young in the Academy and train. Once graduating to Genin it's up for you to decide how far you're willing to advance yourself."

"You're a Jounin?"

"Not exactly."

That confused her because the Fire Ninja was most certainly not a Chuunin due to the ranking of this mission.

"My position is classified. For security reasons."

If that was true then what Jiro was talking about the night before was not a lie.

"The Be Fong Clan was well known amongst the Shinobi World on the mainland at least. As well as the clan I grew up within once mine was massacred when I was a baby."

"What clan did you live with?"

"The Uchiha."

Kura didn't have to ask. She knew who they were and now knowing that she had been through two hardships as young as she was... was heartbreaking.

"Life isn't easy, but it's the roadblocks along the way that makes you grow stronger."

"Do you ever regret it?" Kura wondered.

"No. Because I can't just sit around when my... friends are in danger, and that goes for innocents as well I don't even know."

"I could never be a ninja... but I always wondered..."

"It's not for everyone. Some people can't handle the baggage that comes with it."

"How do you?"

"Meditation, I guess... And taking more missions."

The young woman's brows furrowed. "How does taking more missions help?"

"Sometimes doing nothing and being left alone to your own thoughts are worse. Especially after going through a war." Kura never thought of it that way. "I'm not the only one with this mindset and won't be the last."

There were evergreen and pine trees that reached high into the air as they towered overhead. The only clearing that could be seen was around the port for merchants and shipments to move about with various paths leading inside the dense forest. The way to Suga was well traveled, but early on the team knew they would not be taking the same route.