Arc II Chapter 10
<strong><b>II</b></strong>
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<strong><b>Arc II Chapter 10
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Their conversation ended shortly afterwards. Masasanewas about to leave the tent...
“Masasane, can I have some of your time? I have something to discuss with you.” Asami''smanding tone wasn''t lost on Masasane.
“What''s the matter, Asami?”
Asami paused. “Sensei, haven''t you noticed all the little inconsistencies around Mitsuoki and his friends?”
Masasane raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“Haven''t you noticedhow Mitsuoki and his retinue avoidsmajor poption centres? Haven''t you noticedhow often Mitsuoki decides to take little detours?”
Masasane scratched his head. “I thought the same, butstrangethings happen.No need to overthink things.”
Asami disagreed,“They do, but not to this degree. Mitsuoki and the rest of his friends are trying to avoid detection.”
“And? This type of behaviour isfar fromumon. Many people appreciate some secrecy.”
“This is not a matterof simple secrecy, sensei.Didn''t you hear what the guards saidback at the main gate? We werethe third team to leavefor Iwagakure.”
“I fail to see the problem, Asami.”
Asami narrowed her eyes. Masasane didn''t take her seriously.“Sensei, who were these teams?What were their missions?”It was his duty to protect them,and not hers.
Masasane brooded. “I think one team escorted a wealthy lord ... The other team, a group of high ranking Iwa diplomats ... You don''t think ...” Realisation finally struck Masasane.
“That we were tricked?Thatwe are being used as cover? Yes, I think so.I have no definite evidence, but I suspect that we escort the real Iwa diplomats while the other groups weredecoys to distract potential attackers.”
Masasane sighed.“Asami, stopoverthinking things. You seeenemies where none are.”
“You don''t believe me?” Asami gaped. Once again, Masasane dismissedher advice.
“Look, Asami, everything you tell me now is just spection. Don''t feel bad if I am a bit sceptical. But don''t worry, Asami, you can trust me. I am a jonin for reasons, and I am your sensei. You can count on me, I will protect you. So thank you for informing me, Asami, I will keep your warnings in mind.” Masasane smiled before leaving.
“I hope so, Masasane. I hope so.” Asami clenched her fist, visibly angry.“It''s not my survival I am concerned about.” Shedid everything in her power, but everything wasapparently notenough.
The sun set and Asami crawled into her sleeping bag. The day made her tired and sleep came easily. In the distance, a crow was hidingamong the trees. The crow observed, biding its time.
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Amegakure''s famous skyline of steel and ironemerged fromthe horizon. Skyscrapers rose from the ground as far as her eyes could see.The route Mitsuoki chose led them directly through Amegakure.It was an ominous ce.
Ame''s infamous rain apanied them, never ceasing. It was raining, and raining, and raining, and raining. Everyone ended up getting soaked, except for Asami. A lovely ck umbre coated in a thinyer of protective chakra protected her from the elements.
Asami didn''t care, though. She had bigger worries than rain. Twofigures were followingthem since they crossed Amegakure''s borders.No visual confirmation was madeyetas theybothavoided detectionso far.They kept their distance, but their enormous chakra presence betrayed them. Their potent aura stood out, giving away their position.
“...”Asami grumbled, dissatisfied with the current situation...
“Asami?”
“What''s up, Aritame?” Asami shifted her umbre.
Aritame wore a heavy raincoat, soaked like everyone else. “I have a question, how arepletely dry while the rest of us are wetter than wet?”
Asami smiled. “It''s the umbre.”
“Theumbre?” Aritame gave her a nk stare.He didn''t believe her.
“Well, it is a very special umbre ...”
Distracted, Asami didn''t pay attention, nearly missingthe iing attack, but she didn''t.
Asami reacted in time, quickly adopting defensive measures, her umbre serving as defensive armament and improvised shield.Her eyesdetected the approachingshuriken.Her beloved chakra obeyedandmanifested, reinforcing her umbre.
Her umbrestood firm, withstandingthe unrelenting assault, deflecting thehail of shurikenwith minimal effect. Metal sparked and dust filled the air, but her umbre protected her, Aritame, and Yukihiro from any harm. Meanwhile, her sensei should be able to provide for himself, which he was. He ducked and dodged. He was a jonin, and thus notpletely useless.
Hershield dissipated, dissolvinginto a fine purple mist.Layers of hardened chakra saved AritameandYukihiro, but the same couldn''t be said of the rest of the convoy.
The attackhad subsided, revealinga scene of total carnage.Corpses and limbs littered the ground, lifeless and torn asunder. Their blood stained the earth red. They died without having a chance. Nobody survived.
Aritame and Yukihiro unholstered their kunai,prepared to fight.Meanwhile, two men appeared from the thickfog.They both wore ck robes adorned by red clouds.
“...”Asami narrowed her eyes.
One man spoke, a giant sword hanging over his shoulder. The man shed his shark like teeth. “Tracking down the real ambassador took more time than expected, but it seems that third time''s the charm, right, Itachi?”
“...”Itachi didn''tment, remaining silent instead.
His colleague sighed. “You know, you are no fun, Itachi. You should really try to liven upa bit.”
Asami didn''t recognise the swordsman, but she recognised his partner.So did Masasane. His face paled and his hands trembled. This was going to be an ugly fight, a very ugly fight. Itachi.Uchiha, ANBU, traitor, and n killer.
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