NOVEL NEXT 220. The Apparition
Present Time
"You guys just couldn't resist coming after me, even when I told you to head for the objective" {They managed to get a completed "Compass" all their own...just as I thought they would. Heh...} (Rei)
"After making him talk, we made a beeline for your most recent sighting where along the way, we ran into your dragons" (Suzu)
"Really?" (Rei)
"Yeah. The very same ones surrounded by the remains of a nest of crocodiles. Seriously, the scene of sheer carnage, those summoned creatures are definitely YOURS" (Tai)
"Good thing too. We asked them where you were, and they used their tails to point us in the right direction before disappearing. They're far more intelligent and reasonable than I believed them to be" (Suzu)
"Well I'll be..." {Since they weren't around when I awoke from losing control again, I assumed the summoning was over and they returned to my lab} (Rei)
"After that, we ran into more and more ninja from other villages, but most of them were from Ishigakure1Hidden Rock Village, all with similar stories about the Rengoku no Bakemon2Purgatory's Monster. Many of them beaten to a bloody pulp, you literally left a trail of human breadcrumbs" (Tai)
{That's "Neo-Rei" for you, not a single trace of mercy. Still...} "Ugh! Great, ANOTHER nickname! That's just what I need! Haaaa... Speaking of Ishigakure, did you happen to run into them?" (Rei)
The duo shook their heads in unison
Knowing Rei was talking about Metoro and Etoro Konjiki, along with their superior, Kajūra. The "Ishi Terrorists", opponents they'd never forget. It was just over two years since they had their very first battle with Kekkei Genkai3Bloodline Limitusers
After being confronted by them prior to the first exam's completion, they expected to have already run into them by now. And yet, with less than a day before the exam's ending, there was not trace of them in sight...
"...No, we haven't" (Suzu)
"It's been on the back of my mind, and we had some close calls with those hailing from the same nation as they, but no one has seen or heard of them since the start of the exam...and that concerns me" Tai took his hands off Rei's shoulders, now done with his medical treatment
RUSTLE!
Rei stood up, clasped his hands, and scanned his body for any abnormalities. His stamina was restored, and thus his chakra, though something felt different...
"You okay?" (Suzu)
"Y-Yeah, Tai did a great job as usual. It's just...I feel little different. Not bad or strange but...more, um--I can't put it into words...comfortable?" (Rei)
"I noticed your chakra felt a little different when I was healing you. Perhaps the physical trauma as a result of poisoning put your body through more stress than you thought?" (Tai)
{Truth be told, poison shouldn't be able to hurt me THAT much thanks to my first Physical Purification via the "Black Scroll". And with Kisshōten's4Auspicious Heavens reemergence, I get the feeling--no. I know what this is...} "I'm gonna have a long talk with him once this exam is over" (Rei)
"Who?" (Tai)
"Hm? Oh--uh, it's nothing. I'm fine, thank you for your help" (Rei)
"My pleasure" (Tai)
"..." (Suzu)
Following a bit more catch up and deliberation, the team decided to proceed towards the so-called "Primary Objective". The exam's end was nearing, there was no room for procrastination
"Pffft!" (Rei)
"?" (Tai & Suzu)
"So Tai, about that perfume you made in hopes of eliminating your single status" (Rei)
"!" (Tai)
"It's being used...kukuku...for all the wrong reasons...buhahaha!!" (Rei)
"Bastard! I cannot believe I actually missed you!" (Tai)
Time until the exam's end, twenty hours...
♦♦♦
VWOOOO!
"At such a scale, my Fūton5Wind Style won't help much...!" (Suzu)
"Gah...pleh! Gross...I keep tasting dirt! Cover your faces!" (Tai)
"Damn it...I f**king hate this stupid place!" (Rei)
Venturing even deeper to the canyon's center, at the direction of their compass, the now reunited Team Tango was led straight into a massive dust storm!
"Try and stick together! If you get separated, I'll find your chakra signature!" Yelled Rei as the environment quickly reduced their visibility to near zero
"Don't forget, we're not alone out here!" (Tai)
Prior to their arrival, Rei had started to get a feel for his readjusted body, now changed as a result of his latest "recursion". Unexpectedly, his physical parameters and overall chakra capacity had grown even further
However...
"Rei! Somethings wrong!" (Suzu)
"I was just about to say the same thing!" (Rei)
His new perks didn't seem to help much with this latest challenge
The team huddled together, glancing at their two completed compasses within the treacherous storm. With every step closer, the needle seemed to move and change. Fearing they were running in circles, it was time for something different
CHURRRRR...
As the team tried to figure out what to do, something beneath the surface grew closer and closer...
"I don't think it's broken, and we're not under someone's influence...right Rei?" (Tai)
"Yes. Your chakra signatures, like mine, are completely stable. No sign of fluctuations whatsoever...which can only mean one thing" (Rei)
"Our target is...moving" (Suzu)
BOOSH!
A mysterious figure burst from the ground out of blue, lunging straight at the team! Suzu grabbed Tai and jumped in the opposite direction of Rei, who managed to avoid the sudden attack without much effort!
"You guys okay?!" {That thing is-!} (Rei)
"We're fine!" (Suzu)
CLICK! CLICK!
"Awww... so you guys did realize. I was hoping to finally catch someone off guard, luck is just not on my side today" With the attack, a newcomer introduced himself to the team
"That headband... a ninja from Sunagakure6Hidden Sand Village. That confirms my suspicions, the object he sent our way was none other than a..." (Suzu)
"!" (Tai & Rei)
"That's right. Hello ninja of Kumogakure, my name is Jun'ya. And this, is my friend and partner..." (Jun'ya)
The Suna Genin known as "Jun'ya" was covered head to toe in black robes, a ghutrah covering his head and mouth, only his blue eyes were visible
Next to him, his personal weapon of choice...
CLICK! CLICK!
"The Orange Centipede" (Jun'ya)
A brownish-orange mechanical device taking the shape of a centipede the size of a fully grown Golden Retriever. It's parts clicked and clacked with every single movement, countless mechanical legs, all controlled via small-scale strings of chakra transmitted from Jun'ya's fingertips
One look at it made the Kumo Genin internally question just how many hidden weapons it possessed
"Guess we now know what the Apparition those guys from Ishigakure mentioned is..." (Suzu)
"Careful guys, puppeteers are famous for using poison..." (Tai)
"Puppets...my first time seeing one in person. Gotta admit, my curiosity is piqued" (Rei)
"I'm more than willing to enlighten you, in exchange for that nice compass in your hand. We're all running low on time after all" (Jun'ya)
Since they had two, the team took the Suna-nin's offer under consideration. Not out of fear for this opponent, but the urgent need to arrive at their destination as soon as possible. Traveling to this location, even at their top speed, took several hours
They also didn't know the full extent of his abilities, nor if he had comrades hiding nearby. The time limit was almost here, and they still hadn't located the "Primary Objective"
"Suzu, I need you to find the target. I'll deal with this guy firs-" Whispered Rei
"You wanna separate again? After all the trouble we to find you?" (Tai)
"Relax. I'm gonna get this guy's attention, you guys take off, and I'll follow your chakra. On my signal..." (Rei)
TAK!
"Have you made up your minds?" Jun'ya asked while taking another step forward
"...Yes, we have. Fighting you isn't worth the trouble at this critical time" (Rei)
"Good, I'm glad we can come to an understanding" Jun'ya held out his hand
FLING!
After giving a light nod to his teammates, Rei tossed his compass to Jun'ya. When the latter caught it, he smiled and lifted his free hand, forming several strange finger movements
BOOSH!
"Uh?!" (Rei)
"Heh, sorry. But I prefer to thin the competition while I can!" (Jun'ya)
More puppets blasted from the ground, encircling the team, and cutting off their routes of escape
"What the-?! How can he--, I've never heard of someone controlling so many-!" (Tai)
"No Tai, look. Unlike the first one, they don't have heads, and that one even has a tail. We're not dealing with multiple puppets, we're dealing with..." (Suzu)
"One...that splits" (Rei)
"Kukuku...bingo. My original creation can separate its body into to eighteen different parts. From head to tail" (Jun'ya)
{Now I get it, he was buying time while the parts dug through the ground, getting into position before surrounding us} (Rei)
CLICK! CLACK!
One by one, each part opened up several of their respective contraptions as Jun'ya prepared to attack
"?!" (Tai)
"It's truly nothing personal, but I REALLY need to win this thing for my village" {Orenjihigi: Satsurin7Orange Secret Technique: Murder Wheel!} (Jun'ya)
"I won't take it personally..." said Rei as he formed a quick hand seal
BOOM!
"A-AGH!" (Jun'ya)
"...if you don't take that personally" (Rei)
The compass Rei gave him had violently exploded on his side! Knocking the young puppet master out cold! All the other puppets fell down, devoid of any visible function
"Ahhhhh! Rei! What did you do?! Putting a Paper Bomb on the-" (Tai)
"Chill man, remember we had two completed ones. We'll use our remaining one to find the target--speaking of which...Suzu?" (Rei)
The boys looked to Suzu, kneeling on the ground with her hands down and eyes closed. While Rei was stalling, the girl had managed to pick up on his earlier hint, beginning her search. While not an accomplished sensor as Rei, she had other means of finding the seemingly moving objective
By touching the ground with her finger, she was able to detect the presence and location of targets in the surrounding area. A skill Yugito taught during her time on Genbu
Soon enough, Suzu finally had an answer for them
"It's massive, and on the move! We need to go!" (Suzu)
"Okay, let's stick to formation and--Rei? What are you doing?" (Tai)
"What's it look like? I'm robbing this sucker, he's got to have something interesting on him. Cheh! Did someone take his exam item already? Maybe that's why he targeted us...oh?" Rei combed the Suna Genin's belongings, finding nothing of value except a worn out book
"What's that?" (Tai)
"Ummm...I think it's guide on puppetry? Puppet Theater, by Monzaemon Chikamatsu. I have no idea who this guy is..." (Rei)
"Monzaemon Chikamatsu was the inventor of puppet arts. Formerly an entertainer for wealthy lords and any other clients with cash to spend, he eventually saw its potential in the shinobi world. Demonstrating brilliant innovation by transforming a simple hobby, into a unique and deadly form of combat passed down for generations within Sunagakure" (Suzu)
"!" (Rei & Tai)
"If that book was truly written by him, hold on to it. Even if you're not intending to become a puppeteer, its value shouldn't be underestimated" (Suzu)
The two boys stared at her for almost a minute, recalling the fact this girl was a true genius with a mind like a library. Lightly blushing in embarrassment by their admiration, she decided to move out first, with Tai quickly following in suit
Rei glanced at the book in his hand once more before putting it in his pouch and taking off
ZWISH!
"Puppetry huh? I've got a few ideas, but I'll save them for later. Time to finally leave this hellhole..."