Naruto: Tales of Ashihara

Chapter 117 - Emergency in Kumo

Naruto: Tales of Ashihara

Shinden Saga – Arc 1: Kimera

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Chapter 117 – Emergency in Kumo

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Two days later in the morning, at the gates of Kumogakure. Takeshi spent the whole trip painfully going at Naomi's pace, simply because he refuses to carry her on the way. Rather than running across the sea, they took a boat like regular people would, knowing that the Chimera doesn't have a faster travel method either.

After a day and night worth of nothing, they catch sight of the entrance of the not so hidden village hidden in clouds, elevated in a mountain chain that reaches up to the sky and beyond the clouds. As they near their objective, Tentoki warns Takeshi about a few technical aspects.

"Don't forget that standing in Kotobuki's way isn't enough." he says. "We obviously need their agreement to enter the Lightning Daimyo's territory first, but we should also seek allowance to stay there and intercept who's on the way."

"Yeah. Sure." Takeshi boringly replies. "Honestly, it would be easier to just wait at the sea border and run around until I see him coming. I sure would be simpler than getting this village involved. This is just gonna make stuff complicated."

Tentoki doesn't reply and agrees, but stays vigilant. Sasuke's statement may have made Takeshi a bit overconfident. Yet, he doesn't know about how powerful his host really is now that he partially has the Daitengu's abilities.

Naomi runs forward, made impatient by the sight of the gate. The ninja in black sees her pass by his side, shrugs, and decides to mess with her pointlessly. When the former huntress reaches the entrance she sees Takeshi already chatting with the 3 ninjas who were leaving at the same time. She sighs, annoyed, and gets closer.

At the gate, together with Takeshi, are Tarui and Toroi, two of Minaa Nii's students. The 3rd ninja is Narui, the clone expert, student of Atsui. It's her who replies to the kiri-nin after hearing why he's come.

"You certainly won't get what you want." she says.

"Really?" Takeshi asks. "Why's that? I'm pretty sure the Raikage is a chill guy."

"First of all, yes he is." Tarui, the youngest but tallest of the group, answers. "Second, he won't be chill with a show-off stranger like you. Third, we're not gonna tell you why. We have no reason to let you know."

Takeshi just gently nods, accepting this answer, used to people being oddly rude with him for no reason. Toroi tries to play it cool and let them go on their way.

"You can still go and ask by yourself, sir." he says before turning around and pointing at the highest tower. "It's up there you should go."

When he turns around again, he sees the ninja he's talking to playing with a giant shuriken that looks just like the one he carries on his back. To be sure, he frantically checks with both hands if his own is still there. When he reaches out for it, he catches his weapon as expected, but doesn't see it in Takeshi's hands anymore. The Minamoto is just messing with him as a response to his colleague's unfriendly behavior, to make clear that him being nicer doesn't make up for them.

"Okay then. Thanks anyway." the Minamoto muffles before vanishing in a white flash.

The three kumo-nin look at each other confusingly, and then at the retired mercenary who still stands there. Naomi makes a slack face and tiredly goes down the road to join the Raikage's mansion by foot.

"I swear he's been sent to me by fate as a punishment for sparing his father's life..." she complains aloud.

Tarui leans her head forward, amused by this remark and stands there boringly. The trio is pushed forward by Narui who insists on quickly getting to their destination.