You are the only one.... ×Book 2×

47. Team Kasai: The Ritual

"Geez" Hope said as we walked across the rough sand "out of all the places for these ninja to hide; they had to choose the Sand Village!"

I exhaled deeply and continued walking through the scorching sun as Ryuku scanned the mission documents every few seconds, Kuro was gently singing a song to himself, and Hope was complaining about the heat.

I just decided to keep my mouth shut and not say anything at all because I knew if I did it would probably lead to me arguing with Hope.

"We'll be there in 10 minutes" Ryuku announced, returning to his documents.

It was probably safe to say Ryuku was the leader of the group seeing as he was older and a higher rank then us. Ryuku became a Jonin about 2 days ago; I was happy when he told me that and at the same time sad. It seems like he's been working so much lately and never has time to relax and hang out sometime.

"Here's the plan" Ryuku said, breaking me of my thoughts "when we enter the village we're going to split up. There are four of them and four of us, but from the reports I've read they're pretty strong. So, if you find one we'll meet up and take him down together which will, of course, cause the other three to flee."

"If we find one how are we suppose to let the others know" I asked curiously.

Ryuku smiled and pulled four small little devices out of his pocket. They were about the size of an eye and had a little hoop on them.

"These" Ryuku explained, putting one on my ear using the hoop "will allow us to communicate with each other and tell us our locations."

Everyone nodded and grabbed one as I softly tapped the one on my ear already. Kuro, Ryuku, and Hope all put their's on their ears and clicked a tiny button causing it to glow green and have static in the background.

"They're on" Ryuku said as his voice came from the earpiece and from in front of me "just speak into it and we'll all be able to hear you."

Everyone nodded again in understanding as the village gates came into view.

"Now split up and act natural" Ryuku said handing us all a paper with a picture of four different faces.

"Ok!"

"No problem!"

"Be careful, brother."

Ryuku nodded as we all entered the gates and walked in different directions. Man, I wonder how this is gonna end.

~Hope's POV~

So this is the Sand Village, huh?

It's hot!

Why would anyone want to live here?!

I groaned in annoyance and glanced at the paper in my hand; clicking off my earpiece in the process.

I don't need them hearing everything I do!

I examined the pictures more closely and a picture of a man with a scruffy beard and bald head with grey eyes caught my attention. I guess I'll keep a look out for him; still even if we do happen to kill him we won't know for sure which of those assholes has the scroll.

I sighed in frustration and folded up the paper in my hands as I slid it into my back pocket. Now that I think about it, isn't this the village what's his face lives in?

What was his name?

G...gary? (No.)

G...ga...gerald? (Definitely not!)

G...gaa...GAARA!

That was his name...Gaara.

I smiled softly to myself and thought about him; so this is the domain of the quiet, supposedly emotionless Kazekage, eh?