Chapter 74: 73. An Underhanded Move [1]

Rei and Tango dashed through the village. Entering the building of the Raikage, numerous staff members were running around frantically

"Just what the heck is going on?" (Rei)

"You'll get the answers to your questions when we get to office of the Raikage" (Tango)

Making their way upstairs, Tai and Suzu were waiting by a set of twin doors

"Rei...Sensei..." (Suzu)

"Nothing but screaming has been going on in there..." (Tai)

"That's never a good sign...lets go" (Tango)

Tango opened the doors, taking the group with him. Inside the Raikage's office, Rei was surprised to not only see Dodai and Toroi here, but a shinobi he'd never seen before with bandages and a head band covering his right eye...sitting on the Raikage's chair

"Ah good, you're here" (Toroi)

"I assembled my team as quickly as I could" (Tango)

"Toroi-sama..." (Suzu)

"Long time no see!" (Tai)

"Hey, good to see you guys!" (Toroi)

"Dodai-ossan" (Rei)

"Ah! Rei...I'm sorry I haven't been around to visit you much. My...'duties' have kept me preoccupied" (Dodai)

{Just as I thought, it was you talking to nee-san that night about the "Network" or whatever the hell it is}

"It's no problem...I understand" (Rei)

"AHEM!"

While the group was getting acquainted and reminiscing, the man sitting at the Raikage's desk grew impatient

"If you lot are quite finished chatting, let's end this so I can be on my way. The mission Dodai..."

Both Toroi and Dodai frowned

"And I will tell you again it's inappropriate to send a team of Genin for this assignment!" (Dodai)

"Sir. There must be another way" (Toroi)

"These reports I have on their skill and performance suggest otherwise"

"That may be on paper, but this situation entirely different!" (Dodai)

"And delicate!" (Toroi)

During their discussion, the front doors opened again. This time it was a single man in his mid teens carrying papers in his hand. Walking past the group, he stood between them and the sole ninja sitting at the desk

"Tekkan-dono..." (Toroi)

"I see you've started without me" (Tekkan)

"Believe us, that was never our intent. It's just that SOMEONE has taken matters in his own hands" (Dodai)

"Humph!"

Tai whispered to Tango

"Okay, now I'm really confused. What's going on?" (Tai)

"Yeah sensei, who are these guys?" (Suzu)

Whispering back "The one that just walked in is Tekkan, right hand man of our esteemed Daimyō-sama. The one sitting at the desk is the Head Ninja of the village" (Tango)

"...Where's Raikage-sama? Shouldn't he be handing out missions?" (Suzu)

"No clue. Why he's sitting there and not the Raikage-sama is something I still don't understand, or even why we were called. For now, just stay quiet and only speak when you're spoken to" (Tango)

"Don't need to tell me that. It's obvious they aren't pleased to see one another" (Tai)

{More like, Dodai trying his very best not to strangle the head ninja} (Rei)

"Do we have it?" (Head Ninja)

"Before we get into that I must state, I'm in agreement with Dodai. I do not approve of this" (Tekkan)

"I don't need your approval, I just need you to do your damn job. Have you forgotten? While the Daimyō and the Raikage are away, supreme authority is given to the head ninja, in other words me" (Head Ninja)

Tango stepped forward a spoke out of turn

"The Raikage-sama is gone? To Konoha?" (Tango)

"..." (Dodai)

"No, he's not going to Konoha. Our, 'colleague' here is seeing to the peace treaties" (Tekkan)

"?!" (Team Tango)

"That's right" (Head Ninja)

"What happened?!" (Tango)

"A, shall we say, 'agreement' our village has held with 'Takigakure'1Hidden Waterfall Village is now being questioned by the other side" (Toroi)

{Agreement?} (Rei)

"And this 'agreement' is important enough for the Raikage-sama to hand the job of signing peace treaties with Konoha over to someone else?" (Tango)

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"If it wasn't, you'd be talking to him right now and not us" (Toroi)

"Plus, the Daimyō-sama is currently handling his own diplomatic duties in the Land of Earth" (Tekkan)

{So that's why neither of them are here} (Rei)

"Okay I get that, but why has my team been summoned here?" (Tango)

Tekkan, Dodai, and Toroi looked at each other awkwardly before the head ninja interrupted

"You're here because there is a mission for you" (Head Ninja)

Tango was surprised and confused as it was obvious that now wasn't the time for missions. In order to ease tensions for the peace discussions, the village had recalled nearly all of its active duty shinobi back home. Other villages performed similar practices because everyone knew if this treaty succeeded between Konoha and Kumogakure, the last villages to settle agreements, it could actually lead to true neutrality

This was a boon for all shinobi villages and private businesses, both big and small. After the last war, no one was eager to interfere with the treaties and risk fanning the flames of conflict once again. Konoha accepting Kumogakure's excuse for the Head Ninja arriving in place of the Raikage was proof enough that everybody wanted this

So why would Team Tango be given a mission now?

"I for one simply want to postpone this issue, but Dodai and others here have insisted I send out a squad" (Head Ninja)

"Yes, but not them! Toroi here is more than willing to-" (Dodai)

"Really? Send out Toroi? The infamous 'Jinton no Toroi'2Toroi of the Magnet Style and his team out on this mission during this VERY tense time? That's practically begging to get caught. And you have the nerve to state my decisions are wrong" (Head Ninja)

The Head Ninja scoffed at Dodai's proposal which only irritated the others further. This arrogant man clearly didn't listen to anyone but himself

"Toroi can move quickly and quietly. This risk of him being discovered is minimal" (Tekkan)

"But not absolute. You're risking a break down of negotiations on a chance he won't be noticed. Ameture, leave the shinobi work to actual shinobi" (Head Ninja)

"Tch!" (Tekkan)

"What I'm proposing is practical. No one will worry about a squad of kids moving along our border. Most will ignore them, and all they have to do is report their findings. Dodai!" (Head Ninja)

"?" (Dodai)

"Didn't you so proudly tell me this team belongs to same generation of talented individuals and geniuses the village hand picked to attend 'Cloud Academy'? The so called ’Gifted Generation’ right? And these three were the most excelling graduates you had ever seen? Then this simple task shouldn't be a problem" (Head Ninja)

"That may be but-!" (Dodai)

"Tekkan. You still haven't answered my question. Did you get it or not?" (Head Ninja)

Everyone looked at Tekkan as he hesitantly revealed a paper slip in hand

"Haaa...approval for travel through the Land of Frost and the Land of Hot Water as requested. Any shinobi you send should have no trouble getting past their borders" (Tekkan)

"Good. Then lets brief them. Tango!" (Head Ninja)

With clear dissatisfaction, Tango responded in a dull tone

"...Yes sir..." (Tango)

"You and your team have been given the mission to verify the status of a three-man cell Raikage-sama dispatched three days ago. The team has gone silent" (Head Ninja)

{Three days ago...} (Rei)

"That seems simple enough...why all of this fuss?" (Tango)

"It's not the mission that's the problem...it's the people that are missing in action" (Dodai)

"One person in particular, the Jinchūriki of our village" (Head Ninja)

"?!" (Rei, Suzu, & Tai)

"Did something happen to B-sama?!" (Tango)

"No, Killer B-sama is still at Unraikyō. It's our 'other' Jinchūriki that's gone MIA" (Toroi)

"..." (Tango)

"This team was sent to deal with rumors of troublemakers near the border in order to smooth things for the peace treaties. But after forty eight hours, there has been no word from the them" (Tekkan)

"More ravagers and rogue-nin?" (Tango)

"That's what we were led to believe. It was a simple a mission but we needed it done quickly so Raikage-sama assembled a squad composed of our best and nearest shinobi to the location" (Dodai)

"Which included Yugito-sama..." (Tekkan)

"They could've just gone radio silent, or perhaps news just hasn't reached us yet. But we don't need any hiccups now so someone has to go. All you have to do is report what's going on. If there is an issue, you message the village and THEN we'll send a more experienced squad of shinobi" (Head Ninja)

"..." (Dodai)

The Head Ninja was clearly directing those words towards Dodai

"And I figured 'certain' members of your squad would perform better considering they have sufficient motivation" (Head Ninja)

"?" (Rei)

No one missed the Head Ninja looking directly at Rei as he muttered those words, hinting at something.

"Hey!" (Dodai)

Coyly speaking "What? It'd be unfair to Sano-kun here if you didn't tell him right?" (Head Ninja)

"You!" (Dodai)

{Oh no...} (Rei)

"You see Sano-kun, one of those MIA members is..." (Head Ninja)

Taking in all of the information received from the conversation just now, Rei knew the next words that would come out of the Head Ninja's smirking mouth

"...your cousin, Mabui"

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