Let It Burn: Death [Sasuke Uchiha]

Chapter 50

To say Beon was surprised that the most reserved member of No Face had taken it upon himself to train the Be Fong was an understatement. But upon seeing the results from the time they spent together it pleased him. None of the others in the group possessed the right skills to produce the jutsu beyond Masaru before. Everyone else were more prone to harming themselves instead. The process wasn't easy though. The training was taxing on the Be Fong's body and chakra reserves when normal levels ran out. It took a lot of control to move from one point to another.

In the beginning, Mai could only move a few feet in the forest. A couple of times the ninja went crashing into a tree having lost her balance on the return or falling through the branches when a foot missed the desired surface. It was amusing for Masaru to watch at times, even hearing the low curses coming from the older teen when failing. Some of the few times the Phantom Ninja let her mask slip to display emotions. After practice, Mai would be brought back to camp unconscious from exhaustion, carried piggyback style on the man's back.

Her willingness to push herself to the breaking point helped the Be Fong progress faster than the normal student Masaru would've undertaken if a sensei in a Village. From where she started weeks ago only able to keep the jutsu going for a few seconds, while haphazardly traveling in short distances, she had come leaps and bounds.

"This isn't a skill to use whenever you feel like it," Masaru spoke on one of their breaks.

Mai had learned that he was a solitary person, but if trusting and comfortable in someone's presence would speak. He wasn't one for small talk and would rather observe than partake in conversations about the campsite.

"You only use it, when necessary, on a mission if asked or if we're in danger." She nodded her head in understanding. "If this jutsu is exhausted too much it could warp your chakra and eventually you could lose control over it."

It was very dangerous. Mai never realized how much so it could be. It made sense why Kakashi rarely used it. Why despite her pushing all boundaries, Masaru would force her to stop for the day.

"Tell me how you learned Earth Jutsus," Masaru asked during one of their sessions. "No one in our group capable of that elemental jutsu can meld in and out of the woodwork of the forest."

"My former sensei had a contact in Rock Country," Mai answered. "I learned when I was a Chuunin." That felt like a lifetime ago traveling with Belva outside the gates. They hardly went anywhere together anymore.

"There aren't many who are capable of doing that even as a Rock Ninja, but you are not from that country." How did he know that? "You know a variety of jutsus from different elements. It is impressive, I will admit. But I have yet to determine which jutsu is your primary."

And for the time being she would keep that secret from him. "I'll leave you guessing then," Mai said. "It's more fun for me to see you trying to figure it out."

A smirk twitched at the corner of his lips.

It was nearly a month and a half into their training when Masaru began taking the Be Fong out with him on missions to dispose of their targets. She had been right; the man had once been a Hunter Ninja. The two also venture inside towns to gather supplies as the other kept watch. Mai was seeing inside the mind of rogue ninjas that she would track for the Leaf. There were so many things she had been unaware of that would possibly make missions a lot easier now... that is, whenever she decided to return.

It was evening during a patrol when those thoughts came to her that made the older teen stop herself to stare off into the darkness. She hadn't sent a report the Hokage's way since arriving and the last time she had seen anyone from the Village or her own home had been well over a few months. Would the woman begin to wonder if something happened to her? Would she send someone else out into the field to hunt her down? Mai hoped that Tsunade would trust her methods regarding this mission and would hold off. And then the Be Fong wondered about Sasuke. Had he finally come home to find it empty with only a note? Had he returned more than once? Every moment they had together was precious and time well spent because neither knew when the other would see each other again. She missed him and their conversations.

Mai suddenly swayed, feeling as if the ground below her was shifting when it wasn't. The ninja shook her head to relieve herself of the feeling with shut eyes. This wasn't the first time it happened these last few weeks. It left the older teen with an almost sickening feeling and slight headache. She hoped she wasn't becoming ill from all these nights outside in the growing cold.

"You good?" Glancing over a shoulder Masaru walked up on her.

"Fine," she said. "I was just thinking."

They were silent for a moment before he spoke up, "There's something I want to show you."

Clasping Mai's shoulder tightly they were suddenly moving through time and space before coming to a halt in an unknown area. It was cold, high up into the mountains with a definitive tree line below them. There wasn't enough oxygen at their height to fill it out completely as a few smaller growths clung to the surface.

"Where are we?" the older teen wondered.

"Northern Rock Country at the border of the Land of Ice." He let go of her. "I want you to take your time and study this landscape. This is a safe haven I have chosen if we are ever in danger. Now that you can help me move the entirety of No Face, I will not have to make more than one trip. This is where we will go if we should ever run into any danger. It is better if we travel together and don't end up separated. We'd be weaker if that was the case."

Mai completely understood and began walking.

"Take your time. We leave when you're ready."

There were enough places for them to hide, if need be, and not a soul in sight to give them the upmost privacy if threatened. They could regroup and plan a course of action. There was a river and snow for water, plant life where one could live off berries and wild mushrooms if unable to visit a smaller town immediately. It had everything they wanted as Mai finally rejoined Masaru, who was meditating on a rock. Even though it was perfect for living off the grid the Be Fong hoped they never had to use it as a last resort as the two returned to join No Face.