Unfinished Business [P]

Masahiko Kichiro.

The name had completely dominated Hisashi's thoughts over the last few days. He never before found himself so desperate to hunt down his target. It was all the more surprising considering how much experience he had in this particular. Kazuhiro Hisashi, often called Ryōken no Kiri, was no stranger to hunting down Missing-nin and yet here he was acting like some amateur pup. He was glad that no one from his village could see him now. Oh how they would have enjoyed the sight of acting like a rabid cur, frothing at the teeth. Hisashi had never cared much for his reputation and if anything had found it to be quite useful on occasion. People were less likely to run when they knew that one was relentlessness and merciless in their pursuit. The Kirigakure shinobi had earned his rank of Tokubetsu Jounin due to his ability to remain calm and composed when tracking rogue-nin down. He would simply have to chalk up the difference this time to the connection of his past.

Fifteen years ago, Kichiro along with a group of other Missing-nin ambushed a convoy of Kiri shinobi guarding one of the local lords. Hisashi's father happened to be one of the Kirigakure-nin present and was subsequently killed in the ensuing ambush. It wasn't until later that Hisashi learned it was due to the fact that his father had shown mercy to one of the attackers. Hisashi's father was a talented medical-ninja and a compassionate individual; he had no place in the shinobi world as far as his son was concerned. The man's own weakness had got him killed and left Hisashi without both of his parents. Hisashi had never truly been able to understand his father but he couldn't deny their blood connection. The man's death had served as a catalyst in creating the shinobi that Hisashi would become today and despite all their differences, the man had been his father.

Hisashi had only just entered the Academy when his father had died and could not do much in the way of revenge. Over the years he had kept his ear to the ground but the desire for vengeance had quietly simmered. Kichiro had done a masterful job of remaining undetected and most assumed the man had long since left the Land of Water. Hisashi had been on the verge of completely forgetting the Missing-nin when he got word from one of his contacts at the port. Masahiko Kichiro had chartered a ship to the Land of Fire, apparently under the guise of a merchant. The Kirigakure shinobi who specialized in hunting Missing-nin had suddenly been given a second chance. It was rare for a rogue ninja to have avoided the wrath of the Hidden Mist for this long. Kirigakure wanted the man dead but more importantly, Hisashi wanted the man dead. The mere mention of Kichiro's name had set a fire to something within Hisashi.

He had set off in pursuit with barely a word in an attempt to make up lost time. Submitting official reports, assembling a tracking team, and other arrangements would waste too much time. Kichiro would already be somewhere in the Land of Fire and on his way to Amegakure if Hisashi's theory was accurate. Hisashi had to catch the man before he made it to Amegakure, a nation which was notoriously tight-lipped. If one had the right connections, it would be easy to slip away and disappear from the rest of the world. This would be the Kiri-nin's last and only shot at capturing the man that had killed his father.

It was because of this that Hisashi found himself in the Land of Fire, just south of Konohagakure. Hisashi believed that Kichiro was traveling as a merchant caravan which meant the man was not alone. If anything, it was likely that there were a few other Missing-nin among the group. The benefit of this knowledge was that Kichiro was likely to be moving along a normal route which meant that Hisashi could estimate the man's current position. The Kiri-nin still had some ground to make up before he caught up and he still had no solid plan in mind. Kichiro would die on this day but Hisashi had to make sure he limited any collateral damage. Killing any residents of the Land of Fire would see his name in the Bingo Book alongside the Missing-nin he so despised. He would simply have to come up with a plan when he finally caught up to Kichiro.

Hisashi had been making good time moving among the boughs of the forest when suddenly he stopped. He looked to the left and then right, before letting himself fall to the forest ground below. The man landed with the grace expected of a shinobi and remained silent for a few moments.

"I'm in a rush so why don't we leave the subtle cat-and-mouse games for another time," stated Hisashi loud enough for anyone in the vicinity to hear. A few moments earlier he had sensed the presence of two others closing in on his position. He could make an educated guess as to their identities but he had been hoping to avoid this altogether. The fact that it had taken him this long to distinguish their presence meant they were hardly your average shinobi. He yearned simply to ignore them but he highly doubted such an option would be likely. Hisashi would need to tread carefully so he could resume his pursuit of the Missing-nin.


Keiko Hana & Yamada Kuzashi