Paths of Divergence

Unwavering Loyalty

Chapter 3

-Unwavering Loyalty

"So what's today's training going to be like? Gonna slice us to death again?" Toshi asks while tying her strawberry colored hair back into a bun.

"Heh. Not too rigorous today Toshi, but it will require the same determination," Shizake says, scanning the tree line of the forests surrounding them.

"Just spit it out already..." Shītto groans, looking up at the sky.

"Hm. In the forest I've set up training dummies armed to the teeth with traps. Your objective is to sneak around from dummy to dummy, dismantling the main trap attached to the dummy. Now besides the contraptions I've attached to the dummies, I've set up other traps within the forest so you have to be extra vigilant. I'll be watching from safe points I've designated myself," Shizake explains.

"Sooo...you are trying to kill us again...?" The young girl says with a whine in her voice.

"You'll be fine out there Toshi. Just don't get caught off guard, most of the traps are non-lethal anyways."

Shozen lifts his head up, a question present in his mind, "So how do we dismantle the traps?"

"Hm. That's up for you to find out. So good lu-"

Shizake's words are interrupted by a jonin dropping into the training grounds. He gets up from landing in a crouching position and looks up. In his mouth is a senbon, a lazy expression settled onto his face.

"Genma?" Shizake asks aloud.

"Yo. The Hokage needs you four immediately. There's a disturbance in the village," He says nonchalantly.

"We were just about to get to training," Shozen says.

"It's urgent," Genma finishes before flickering away in a blur.

"Well I suppose we have to see what this is about. Lets go Team Kari." Shizake commands, leading his squad back towards the village.

The three hastily charge through the village once they make it back from the training grounds. They leap over the roofs of the leaf village, the cold air still bombarding them. Villagers, mainly children, look up from ground level while gazing at the ninjas in awe. Small piles of snow cascade off the roofs from team Kari landing and pushing off the ground in order to propel them selves. In no time they make it to the Hokage building where they see Lady Tsunade standing outside of entrance, a specially made Hokage cloak wrapped around her body. Two ANBU guard stick closely to her side staring upon the approaching squad lifelessly behind their masks.

The four-man squad walks up to the village leader, bowing in respect. Tsunade nods before saying, "We have your first assignment..."

"What is it my lady?" Shizake replies. Curiosity tugs at his mind but he mustn't show it.

"There's been a murder."

"So you need us to find the perpetrator?" Shītto asks.

"No. Our investigators already know who's done it. We need your team to track him and do away with him. For good."

Shizake shifts from curious to serious in the blink of an eye, his voice lowering, "So where is he?"

"He's cooped up in a residential home but here's the problem... he's taken hostages. So we need you four to save them as well. A jonin should be here shortly to escort you to the home. Once there things will be in your hands Kouen."

As Tsunade finishes explaining, another jonin by the name of Izumo lands in the thick snow close by. He wears a headband that covers the top of his head, long brown hair covering one eye. The shirt underneath his flak jacket stretches up, covering his chin. He too has a cloak, a thick brown one wrapped around his body.