Filthy Gamer in Narutoverse: 252

Title: Shinobi Norms

*Flutter*

A green flag with a mark of a brown turtle shell flutters to the swift, salty winds as the large wooden vessel bobs to the ebb and flow of the tide. The sounds of creaking hinges and squawking birds fill the surroundings as they find themselves resting upon the ship’s crow’s nest and sail until shooed away by shouting sailors. The men and women keep to themselves until called upon by their superior officers, and unlike a raider’s ship, the scent of filth is barely present—only for one reason.

*Bang*

The sound of working sailors overwhelms the modestly loud thud before a pained shriek makes others stall in their work. Uncomfortable, the sailors look at each other before deciding to ignore ‘it.’

*Slam*

The figure of a thin, naked woman slams out of the captain’s quarter from the raised platform, making the nearby workers yelp in surprise. Her once pale body littered with bloody lashes and marks, she curled at once, sobbing loudly under everyone’s pitiful gazes.

“Now,” a thin, bearded man dressed in a lavish green outfit and a roped turban steps out, grunting, “You know not to spill MY wine when there’s a fucking shortage of it!” He roars, tossing the bloodied knife on the deck as the woman’s body trembles further. Her words fail to slip from her shuddering lips as the man snorts. “Feel lucky your parents raised you a beauty. I’d have taken your tongue for your foolishness!”

He turns around, shouting, “Gari! When do we start exploring the Bubbling Sea?! I’m getting tired of the wait!” He slams the door shut behind it as the workers duly wrap the whimpering woman in a blanket before taking her to the makeshift medical ward set due to their master’s actions. She isn’t the first to face his wrath. The servants realize she will not be the last victim either.

“Do you hear that, Gari?” a voice dripping with sarcasm regards a spiky brown-haired, green-eyed man dressed in a brown flak jacket over a black, single-sleeved undershirt. On his exposed right arm is a head protector with Iwa’s mark. “Our master is getting impatient.”

“Shut it, Nikuchi,” Gari glances at the pale blond who wears his long dirt-blond hair in a low ponytail. The man sniffs, glancing at the remaining two teammates in the chamber. “Report?”

“We destroyed any raiding ship interested in the region from the islands of Land of Water. There were a few survivors, but it would help spread the news of Kame Clan exploring the area. We moved on the word to kill Neryu Clan’s successor to make it seem like a noble affair rather than Shinobi’s involvement.” The masked Iwa Shinobi hesitates before voicing. “Gari, I think it will attract Kiri Shinobi. Those bastards with their Hidden Mist Jutsu will be challenging to deal with in the open sea. And if there’s a Hozuki Clan Shinobi in there,” the man shakes his head. “I think it was an unnecessary risk.”

Gari gazes at everyone silently before nodding, “Nevertheless, we will stay with our plan.”

Nikuchi snickers as a strange chewing sound emanates from his right palm. “Hmm,” he lets out a curious noise. “I have news about the Chakra ‘breeding’ in the sea—looks like Onoki-sama’s intuition proved correct. I won’t forget such a Chakra Signature in a lifetime.” He grins. “It’s Yonbi.”

The expression of other Shinobi shifts as Gari questions, “Are you sure? As uncommon as it may be, even Kiri possesses Lava Users.”

Nikuchi clicks his tongue with a smirk, wagging his index, “It’s not the same. Using Lava and being Lava are different things. However, the chakra signature is very weak. Too weak. However, the heat radiating in the area conflicts with my findings.”

Gari furrows his brows.

“Our mission is simple. We procure Yonbi in any manner possible and as discreetly as possible. Iwagakure cannot afford to kindle the third war, so Lord Third cannot afford more men. If what you say is correct, there must be external elements surrounding Yonbi’s rebirth. The possibility of a trap is high. We proceed with caution.”

“What about our ‘master’?” questions the third Iwa shinobi sporting pitch-black hair.

“What about Jito Kame?” Gari shakes his head. “Everyone on the ship is expendable.”

“Love it,” Nikuchi chuckles.

The blond shinobi perks up slightly as he mutters. “I can sense them. They stepped on the ship. If they have a sensor worth its salt, they should sense us by now, too.”

An oppressive air pressures the team as Gari nods calmly, not losing his composure one bit. “Leave the first contact to me.”

The three Shinobi look at Gari before the pitch-black-haired one scoffs. “So Uncle has other plans but didn’t trust us enough to share them?”

Gari stares at the youth, nodding, “That’s right. Lord Tsuchikage cannot trust a Shinobi who will call him his Uncle during missions. That’s the kind of man Onoki is.”

The youth bristles as Gari flickers away.

---

“Gari of The Explosion Release,” a group of masked and cloaked men greets Gari from their small boat in an open sea as the Iwa shinobi stands upon the tides without an indifferent expression.

“And no mask will ever hide your inbred stench, Yosuke Kaguya,” Gari replies, his words making the leading man chuckle instead of acting angrily. Gari’s gaze lands on a tanned youth before looking back at the masked Yosuke. “Why are you here?”

“You know why,” Yosuke replies. “But before we get on with our business, one of yours killed Saizen Neryu. We cannot conduct our unofficial business until we have something in return.”

“Jito Kame,” Gari affords plainly. “Assassinate him and burn the ship later. It should save the Neryu Clan’s face.”

“And make the nobility of the Land of Earth and Water rally political forces against each other,” one of the Kiri Shinobi scoffs.

“Shinobi kill each other for the Civilian side. Why shouldn’t the opposite be possible?” Gari questions as the speaker holds his tongue.

“So?” Gari looks at the leader. “Why are you here? This time, the correct answer, or I’ll need to attack you.”

Yosuke scoffs something under his breath before complying. “To prepare Takoyaki. Rikudo! The secret codes keep becoming weirder by the war!”

Gari snorts in amusement at that, seemingly agreeing.

“The compensation?” Yosuke demands by extending his hand.

Gari momentarily glances at the other Shinobi before retrieving a small storage scroll from his pouch. “It’s all in there,” the Explosion Release Shinobi nods and tosses it to Yosuke.

Yosuke thoughtfully grasps the scroll, “What’s stopping me from killing you here, ambush your team, and take Yonbi for ourselves?”

“The What?” Cries one of Yosuke’s teammates, and the other two silent ones shift uncomfortably, quickly making connections with the Bubble Sea.

“Settle down,” Yosuke orders while staring at Gari, who shrugs calmly. “For one, your team looks rattled while mine is ready.” He crosses his arms. “And your brother tried killing me. He died. I imagine you’re struggling with the mission as is. Or were they just rumors? About you two being a little friskier than ordinary siblings?”

Yosuke coldly narrows his eyes.

“That’s why you won’t kill me,” Gari seems incapable of smiling, but the humor in his tone slips the indifferent facade. “You will never sour the possibility of killing me in between a mission. You’re too wise for that, Yosuke of the Bone Field. I can’t say the same for your lover. Ah, I meant your brother.”

A shuddering heave escapes Yosuke’s mask as he forcibly calms himself.

“Do you have your sealing kit?” The Kaguya Shinobi grunts.

“That’s got nothing to do with you. According to the agreement between Third Tsuchikage and Mizukage, you and your team will duly secure the perimeter. That’s all you need to know.”

Gari flickers away with that, appearing on a distant tide before darting away again.

“Fucking bastard!” Yosuke hisses as his team glances at each other.

It’s at this point the sensor of the team feels something, only for his expression to stiffen behind his mask.

“To work with the murderer of your lover,” a relaxed voice pricks Yosuke’s senses as the surrounding sea turns into a tide of blood, and a pitch-black sky appears in his eyes.

A Genjutsu!

“Don’t worry,” Yosuke feels a gentle embrace threatening to subdue his senses, but it’s already over. “Let’s fuck over the Iwa Shinobi before you guys escort me to Kirigakure, shall we?”

---

“Get away from my food, dattebane!” Kushina snarls, scaring away the birds before eating the last of her riceballs with a pout as she brushes her damp hair off her forehead with a free hand. “Why can’t we enter Uzushiogakure before acquiring a better ship and scout the Bubble Sea?”

Kai chuckles, lying on the deck as Kakashi and Minato keep a lookout, still in hearing distance.

“See? The best thing about being a Team Leader is I don’t have to answer squat.”

“Hey!” Kushina huffs. “You’re being too cocky!”

“You never had a problem with a—”

“Please, don’t finish that sentence,” Minato purses his lips as Kakashi nods in agreement.

“Fine,” Kai rolls his eyes.

“Look,” Kai begins. “I want to enter Uzu as quickly as possible, too. Minato says I can learn a few things in advance before my next training with him. But the problem is I have a weird feeling about the Bubble Sea. The quicker we arrive, the better.”

“A bad feeling?” Kushina cocks her head sideways.

“All of us in this ship are sensors of varying capabilities, are we not?” Kai questions. While Kushina and Kakashi are natural talents at that, Kakashi hasn’t trained in the ability all that much, while Kushina is only starting to dabble in it. Minato has some experience with it, but his natural talent in sensory skills falls short compared to his aptitude and passion for Fuinjutsu.

They nod at his words as he continues. “So, try and sense things. Maybe you will feel the same thing.” He groans as he sits up, “I’ll keep an eye out, yeah?”

Well, Kai will naturally sail for the Bubble Sea after the things he sensed the first time he neared the area with the Neryu’s Successor.

‘She is there,’ Kai gazes at the distant sea. ‘I sensed her. I think she perceived me, too. Didn’t Tsunade say she is one of the rarest of her breed to show all of her clan’s natural talents, from chakra reserves to Kekkei Genkai and Sensory Skills? And there’s a Bijuu for the taking.’

He licks his lips.

‘Becoming an imperfect Jinchuriki will surely drain my chakra to keep the beast in check—but the opposite will be a massive boon! Yonbi! The Four FUCKING Tails! Taking one for myself might Kindle The War, but it’s either this or something better. And I don’t know when I’ll chance on something better!’

He won’t let go of this chance!

“Oh! I feel something!” Kushina yelps. “I- ah, no. Sorry, wrong call.”

“What is that?” Minato blinks as he feels something impact their ship. He opens his eyes and looks to the side as his lips part in shock!

“Burnt wood,” Kai’s voice makes Kakashi and Kushina open their eyes. “And look at that.” He points ahead where they see heat radiating from the surface of bubbling water to the point air distorts in the area!

“We’ll be there soon. Prepare yourself. It’s likely we’re not alone.”

***

Alternate Title: Casualties Don’t Differentiate Between The Rich and Poor; A Tyrant’s End Under Another Tyrant’s Hands; Inbreds, Inbreds Everywhere—Gari of Explosion; Kaguya Clan’s Brothers?; The Four-Tailed Dilemma; Sensed; Kyubi Is Oddly Silent; Third Mizukage: So, He Killed Your Brother/Lover? I See. You’re Going To Work With Him; An Odd Munching Jutsu; The Team of Kids; Reluctant Sailors; Minato Brings Good News; The One With Most Uzumaki Talents; The Agreement of Kages; Threat of War; War Is Already On The Doorstep—Who Shall Kindle It?; Hiruzen: So, You Became a Jinchuriki? Why Not Tell Me You’re a Traitor And Give Me a Proper Heart Attack?!