Quicksand Strangle (Mission)

It had been a long time since Masaki felt heat this strong and even longer since he visited the land of sand. For anyone thinking that the Earth Country was anything like the hostile Country of Wind, they were sorely mislead. The home of Iwa had rain, it had forests, mostly it had rock, but at least a few areas offered meager protection from the relentless sun. Sunagakure though? Not so much. The sweat had started early on Masaki as he lead his training group, warning them to pace whatever amounts of water they brought with them during the trip.

Not that Masaki really needed to tell them, they were B-ranked shinobi and most lead their own teams of genin yet they were recentl additions to the rank and still had much to learn. For one of them this was their first time this far into Wind Country. But they were a good lot, each one interesting to watch as Masaki got to know his fellow teammates and current ‘students’. In fact, he was pleased with all three of them when they signed up for the optional training he offered during his trek to Suna as a peaceful homage. There was Skye, a beautiful young woman with lilac hair and an easy laugh; Kenji, a broody silent fellow who spoke only when people spoke to him; and, finally, a red headed Gojyo who boasted his great-great-great grandfather was an Akiyama.

“Bullshit!” Skye called, her voice so soft that it took away from the vulgarity of what she said. “There’s no way.”

“It’s true. I promise you.”

The woman glanced over at Gojyo, wary but still full of disbelief as she pushed against his shoulder. “Why are you an Iwa shinobi then, huh? Wouldn’t you be living in Suna?”

“If he did, he would be dead.”

“And the mute talks!”

Masaki turned to give his Tokubetsu Jounin a warning look, the severity of his eyes soothed by the patient smile on his face. “Now’s not the time for banter, group, not when we’re this far into Suna’s territory and this late in the day,” Masaki explained, turning back to the great expanse of sand that stretched out like a maiden’s locks endless in front of them. “We need to find a water source or shelter for the night, especially if a sandstorm kicks up. Even the sand ninja here can’t navigate during those.”

“What do you want us to do then, sir?” Skye questioned, jogging up to match Masaki’s pace. He could smell her sweat now that she was nearer.

The older man stopped, turning to the group as they circled in front of him, nodding at each of them before giving them their next orders. “Together you will scout ahead and see if you can find an oasis, a cave, or a village of the sort where we can station for the night. I know some of you have spent time in this desert but remember how dangerous it is to stay for days and nights without proper shelter.”

Kenji nodded, Skye hummed out a yes, and Gojyo rolled his eyes.

“Well,” Masaki grinned, “off you go then. Be back by sunset or an hour after otherwise find a way to flag me to your location with a jutsu.”

His group of Tokubetsu Jounin nodded back at him before heading off, Skye turning around to give Masaki a second goodbye wave. The brunette’s ears reddened as he dropped his pack, shimmied out a makeshift shelter and assembled it as he settled in for the long haul.

A few hours later as the sun set and night’s fingers gripped into the land, Masaki was well into the mission report he was required to fill daily. Occasionally the man glanced up and looked out of the shelter’s flap, frowning at the empty sands, squinting as his vision strained to make out the team. Why weren’t they back yet? By now they would have found something or would have had the brains to return back to Masaki so they could fix a temporary shelter in the meantime. They were all smart individuals…young, but smart and not stupid.

Masaki waited another hour after the sun dropped away and then searched for any signs of his team. Unsuccessful, Masaki packed up and headed out into the dark expansion, his monocle present. He would take no chances tonight as he searched for his missing Tokubetsu Jounin.


Masaki held Skye’s forehead protector in his hands, knowing how she preferred a white colored band strap instead of something dark. It was the only clue Masaki had with his lost Tokubetsu Jounin as the sand and wind had covered their most recent tracks. One moment three pairs of footprints dented the ground and the next they vanished.

Grim faced, Masaki pocketed the headband, wondering what in the world had happened to three B-ranked shinobi well trained in a wide array of skills when combined together. Swallowing deeply, Masaki pressed on, mulling over a plan to locate the team. Perhaps he should set up a boarder or send ou-

!?

Masaki fell through the ground, the sand billowing up around him, swallowing him whole like a great whale, a great mouth. Sand started to rain down on his head, throwing the man into darkness as he flailed against the sensation, the sensation of drowning; if he took a breath it would be that of sand, just particles, not oxygen and now his body was reacting to that, panicking as chakra build up in the man. Stop. Concentrate. Eyes closed, Masaki summoned an element that would bring solidity to this shifting land.

Doton: Ganchūsō - Earth Release: Rock Pillar Spear!

Pillars of earth laddered their way up to the surface as Masaki, sweaty palmed, gripped the rock and started to climb. His lungs burned as he blindly pulled himself up, breaching the sand as he breathed in fresh air.

“Pakka, look! He made it out!”

Masaki snapped to the sound, eyes glowing with rage as he spotted a man covered in a tan robe as he blinked back at Masaki, surprised by the jounin’s appearance. “How?” the bandit started before Masaki lunged at him (Konoha Senpū - Leaf Whirlwind), feigning a kick high as the bandit dodged it only to be hit by the second on purpose kick. Masaki followed through with a whirlwind of punches, aiming for the bandit’s chest, stopping only when he heard a satisfying crack of bones.

Sand bandits. Common in this area and well known for using quicksand to trap their victims, suffocate them unconscious, and then steal from their bodies. And if they had killed…

Anger fueled Masak as he grew wild in nature and vines ripped up from the ground. The leader, Pakka, laughed at this, his hands forming signs, mouth expanded, and fire streamed from his mouth at Masaki. Masaki dodged, the heat searing his leg, as vines whipped from his body and snapped at Pakka. “Kusari no Aitou (Ivy's Lament)!”

The bandit leader managed to burn away a few of the vines, but he was not fast enough as some started to swim around him, exploding into a thousand as they wrapped him into an egg. Not even a second later did Pakka scream. The vines and thorns were digging into his body, tearing apart skin, muscle, and organs. He would die from Masaki’s strongest move.

Breathing heavily, the Iwa jounin turned to the other bandits. “Bring…bring them up…now."


Three disheveled B-ranked ninja and their leader stood in a field of bodies and sand. Each looked haggard, each looked exhausted, each was bloodied, but at least they were all alive. The bandits had released the group just in time before Masaki turned on them and started to slaughter those who threatened his students with his pupils not long following behind him.

Gingerly, Skye turned to Masaki. “How…how did you find us sir?”

To answer her, the brunette dug into his pocket, pulling out the white headband as he offered it back to the woman. “Come, I will heal you and then we need to get to Suna and tell them their bandits are attacking other ninja now. And on the way you can explain how you fell into that trap and what you would do differently next time to avoid that.”

Gojyo groaned.

Jutsu Used:

• Doton: Ganchūsō - Earth Release: Rock Pillar Spear
• Konoha Senpū - Leaf Whirlwind
• Kusari no Aitou (Ivy's Lament)
  
• Chiyu Wakaba (Healing Leaves)