Telanadas

5

Sasuke's bowstring snaps before he even realises he has drawn his weapon. An arrow buries itself in the hapless shopkeeper's throat with such force that the madman topples backward off Sakura.

Sakura stares down at the shopkeeper as he gives a last dying gurgle and gapes up at Sasuke. Her surprise is almost comical, given the rarity of catching her off-guard. The other two in their party do not seem to find the same amusement.

"What the hell was that?" Naruto demands, though he could be referring to either the shopkeeper's sudden madness or Sasuke's actions.

Kakashi is not so vague.

"Was that entirely necessary?" he asks Sasuke, tone wry with exasperated disapproval. "We might have interrogated him."

"It would have been a waste of time," Sasuke replies, unapologetic. "Considering how forthcoming the other villagers have been, it would likely take days that we do not have."

He goes to the door he noticed before and shoves it open; it's unlocked, surprising given the body dumped inside. The shopkeeper obviously was not expecting anyone to investigate—either because of lack of visitors or because murder is perhaps not so serious a crime in this strange place.

Likely both, Sasuke decides, staring down at the bloated corpse there. It is a day old, and signs of torture show on the skin beneath the tarnished armour and cloak.

His comrades shuffle in behind him.

"Those are Uzushiogakure colours," Naruto breathes, pain and anger rising in his voice at the reminder of his childhood home. A rare darkness spread across the man's face. "This is one of the knights Lady Biwako sent out looking for the Urn of Sacred Ashes."

"This might explain why none of them returned," Sakura adds softly.

Kakashi studies the corpse with a frown. "The question is, was he killed for being a stranger, or for looking for something they did not want him to find?"

"We will soon find out," Sasuke determines, catching sight of something moving outside the shop window. "Since we fall into both categories."

He brings up his bow again and nocks another arrow.

His comrades need no further explanation or prompting, hefting their own weapons. Using only hand signals and facial expressions, Sakura directs them into formation. With Sasuke covering from behind and Kakashi blowing the door open by magic, she and Naruto charge from the tiny shop.

Sasuke counts six enemies in their immediate vicinity, including the guard from earlier, and two archers just out of range. While Naruto charges forward, taking out three of the closest, Sakura clashes with the sentry and Kakashi turns the archers in the distance to statues of ice. The two remaining attackers are dispatched with arrows through their eye sockets.

"Is this whole village full of crazy people?" Naruto demands, gawking at the bodies surrounding them now. All of their adversaries are dressed like villagers, but their weapons are better quality than are normally crafted in a rural area.

"There's something amiss here," Sakura says. "In my experience, peasants don't charge a party of well-armed strangers like this."

"Not unless they are under the influence of magic," Sasuke agrees.

"Blood magic, perhaps," Kakashi corrects, shooting him a reproachful look. "Or it could just be they are determined to protect exactly what we have come to seek."

"But that makes no sense," Naruto says. "Kaguya was the Rabbit Goddess, a woman of peace. She stopped war throughout the land before the Maker took her as his bride. If these are her followers, they would be non-violent."