Interlude 18

Land of Rivers

Vice-Captain Sho, Jonin of Sunagakure

"Field Commander, permission to follow and support Jonin Ryoma."

"Denied, Prioritize the Client." Sho replied quickly, fingers struggling from atop the giant, six-legged puppet that Jonin Ryoma operated so effortlessly. She was currently operating on the Lord Kazekage's orders, but unfortunately for her, so was he. Whatever report she'd make about his countermanding of their liege lord's orders after this would amount to nothing.

Sho was something of a generalist- a wide and strong foundation in all ninja arts was required for consistently excellent performance. Only a ninja with proper grounding in all fields could rise to the vaunted ranks 'Legendary'- few understood this, which is why so many ninja with so many glaring gaps their abilities were lauded as 'S-rank'. A genius performance in a singular field would crumble if presented with their countering field.

Which was why Pakura of the Scorch Release was in no way an S-rank ninja. Her talent for her variant fire was indeed impressive, but her abilities in all other fields was barely passable. It was only luck that an assassin had not dealt with her silently from at range thus far- it rankled him to share a rank in Sunagakure with a narrow-focused buffoon like that.

Jonin Ryoma, first glancing at his profile, had the appearance of a narrowly focused specialist. His innovations in puppetry were numerous and the sheer excess of his preferred designs provoked disgust. Further evaluation of his profile indicated that this was not the case- his skillset was acceptably broad and had only a handful of key weaknesses that could be easily exploited. His weakest areas remained genjutsu and extreme-range combat, neither of which every ninja was suited to exploit.

However, Sho was beginning to believe that assessment to be false as well. The great wooden puppet crawled down the road in an almost sloppy manner, as he wrestled with its heavy limbs and worked against its own weight in locomotion. A normal puppet, which was supported entirely off the ground, did not need to concern itself with walking. A puppet of this scale, which required a full set of chakra strings for him to operate, had to contend with its own bulk at every moment.

He was trained in the puppetry-string technique, he used a puppet of his own in situations that called for it, but this manner of puppetry was altogether new.

So the 'Great Bolter' ran like a drunken camel after the speeding horses of the samurai ahead on the road. The newfound lack of ability bothered him. Jonin Tsubame made a distinctly annoyed and frustrated face, before leaping ahead and running to take her own position alongside the powerful horses.

He would have to make amends for any wear on the joints he might be causing. He had thought to bring the puppet along so that it wouldn't be left undefended, but its operation was a new and unfamiliar skill to him.

"Just around this corner! We'll see these attackers for ourselves!" A samurai called out from ahead, sword drawn and waved through the air for emphasis. Blond, young voice, southern fire accent. Harumaru, rookie samurai, in service to the Takeda on account of family debt, potential asset.

The horses of the samurai were fast, but had to race along the road for their top speeds. Sho estimated that the battle had been going on for at least two minutes since he exchanged places with Jonin Ryoma.

'Isolate and evaluate the abilities and attitude of Jonin Ryoma.', his lowest-priority objective, something ordered of him by Captain Buki. The Kazekage had been demonstrating a suspicious degree of favoritism for the puppeteer, and it was uncertain exactly why among the Weaponry Corps. His central position within Catching Swan, his brief and token punishment period, the declassification and exaltation of his projects and mission-history…

The Kazekage was preparing Ryoma for something. It could be as simple as a public-facing asset to advertise Suna's strengths- a highly profitable and visible ninja with which to negotiate and secure contracts for the village.

Naturally, observation of the Jonin independent of his minder was warranted. Which was why it was pure luck that the Kazekage ordered something very similar from him for the course of this mission.

'Assess the capabilities of the Kyojutsu in live-fire conditions.'

To assess something properly, one needed to isolate it from other variables. Hence, Jonin Tsubame had to be temporarily removed from Jonin Ryoma's side for this first operational test. Not being able to see it in person would make it slightly more difficult to make a judgement, but Sho was confident in his investigative capabilities.

The samurai ahead began to pull around the winding road overlooking the upcoming valley, and their horses reared back as they recoiled in alarm. Sho slowed the clumsy pace of the Great Bolter, slamming legs into earth and creating great furrows while sliding to a stop.

"...What the hell is that…" Their client muttered from atop their horse. Sho half-suspected that their client was lying about their identity, but had insufficient evidence to draw a conclusion. "No matter- onwards! Defend the Chikae!" Takeda roared, drawing their sword and ushering their horse forwards down the slope and towards the battlefield.

The 'that' the Takeda heir was referring to was likely the five meter giant that was stomping across the battlefield. The immense form of the Kyojutsu- the Great Dragoon, shrouded in clouds of dust and riddled with bolts.

It was stomping away from them, towards the edge of the fields and surrounded on all sides by fleeing specks- common soldiers rushing around like a disturbed nest of mice. The thick dust in the air was gradually being washed away by gentle valley winds, and every moment provided a more-clear view of the battle that had taken place.

'Had', because this battle was already over. The client simply had yet to realize that.

Sho's fingers twitched, bringing the Great Bolter back up to speed with his best efforts to keep steady and straight. While he moved to support the client, his eyes trailed across the battlefield, working backwards from the giant puppet in the distance to determine how things had played out.

The earliest breach was… over there, a series of heavy footprints that tore up the farmland making their way out from the treeline and towards the Chikae fortress. From there, the giant puppet… picked up speed, from the widening of the space between each footprint, and smashed into the fortress wall, shattering it.

Sho's eyes narrowed. The dust made it difficult to see clearly, but he was fairly certain that section of wall had…

"LORD TAKEDA!" The massive samurai, Okada, called out on his equally massive horse. "SLOW!"

Takeda had a visibly annoyed look, casting eyes back to the samurai as he raced forwards. "WHAT?!"

"THE BATTLE IS DONE!" Okada called out again. Takeda recoiled atop his horse, slightly slowing in pace as his retainers caught up to him again.

"Can't you see them, Lord Takeda?" Okada continued pointing forwards at the field that continued to lose men to the treeline or through hiding-holes. "They're fleeing- fleeing from that giant. Their will to fight is broken."

He shook his head. "Chasing them now would only tire our horses." He muttered gravely.

Takeda stared at the towering samurai for a moment, breathing heavily and brows furrowed, before gritting their teeth and turning forwards again. "...What is that giant? Ninja- is that one of yours?!"

"It is." Tsubame replied, landing in a crouch next to the young heir's horse.

"That is the work of our very own Ryoma of Suna." Sho explained, leaping off the side of the Great Bolter, letting it fall to the ground in the process. He stepped forwards, standing respectfully to the side and slightly behind the client's horse, arms crossed.

They stood on the slightly higher elevation, watching as the wooden giant stomped through clouds of dust. Every few moments a spearman would attack in desperation, hurling their weapon up towards the shoulder. That spear would halt in the middle of the air, turn around, and lance downwards again.

The field was littered with corpses nailed to the earth in this manner, and wide arcs of sloppy red substance, and great grooves cut in lines, and stacks of corpses and scattered limbs.

The wooden giant's jaw clicked open, a burst of wind exploding out of its maw and smashing into a swordsman on horseback charging for him. The swordsman leapt off, but the horse was turned into a wind-carried splatter of red rain.

"He's being attacked-" Harumaru began in alarm, only to be cut off as a mask on the giant's thigh opened and a distant boom rumbled. The thinly-armored swordsman was thrown back, and landed harshly on the earth. The swordsman writhed on the ground, and Harumaru's own jaw clicked shut.

The giant puppet continued stomping across the battlefield, staring down at men in the posture of surrender and passing them by, and smashing down men who were not. Its massive cape whipped around in the valley winds, accentuating its massive steps and letting them clearly see the red gore that drenched its lower half.

"Like a… god of war…." He heard Genin Benki mutter to the side.

"Like a demon." Harumaru replied with a grimace, brows furrowed and eyes narrowed.

The rest of the team was approaching, leaping across the battlefield and headed their way. Jonin Sugimoto and Genin Tsubasa were carrying a pair of restrained bodies, while Nagare leaped behind with an eye to their flanks and rear.

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"Our team approaches." Sho warned, nodding towards them. The samurai glanced in the direction of the ninja, who landed several long seconds later. Their bounties were laid at the feet of the Takeda heir's horse, a pair of unconscious men in heavy armor, bound with rope and slightly injured.

"There were at least six samurai present on the battlefield- we were only able to capture two, Lord Takeda." Nagare explained, setting her immense gourds down and bowing slightly. Takeda's face scrunched up in an expression akin to jealousy. "Most fled to the treeline, we did not pursue in order to defend the Chikae castle."

"...Tch. That's fine." The Takeda heir eventually replied, casting their gaze down to the unconscious men. "...I don't recognize these men- when will they wake?!"

"Uncertain- they should wake by next morning at the latest." Sugimoto declared with a sharp and confident nod. "If nothing else, I can force them to temporary wakefulness, if that is what you desire Lord Takeda."

Takeda considered that for a moment, before their eyes drifted upwards to the battlefield again. The dust was still settling, but now far clearer than before, and heaps of gore and impaled men littered the fields.

In the center, looming over a procession of surrendered spearmen, was the giant wooden puppet. Red-legged and riddled with arrows, with a long white cape flapping in the breeze and a toothy, lipless grin on its face.

Jonin Ryoma stood on its shoulder, looking down at the ranks of injured and cowering soldiers with a blank expression. Barely visible at this distance, hand resting on the side of his giant puppet's head. The giant moved far more naturally and easily than Sho would anticipate if he tried to operate it, and from the looks of it, the puppeteer only used a single hand to do so.

Sho was beginning to suspect that Jonin Ryoma was indeed a specialist, merely a specialist that also happened to be a generalist.

"Status." Sho quietly demanded of his team, as the samurai began to speak amongst themselves.

"I expended too much chakra subduing the samurai." Nagare muttered with a shake of her head. "It will be at least two days before I return to full."

"I'm down to half, most of which was lost in getting functional again. My ribs are fractured and my left arm is barely usable right now." Sugimoto reported grimly. "Nothing permanent, but I won't be very useful for a while."

"I took no significant injuries and only fired off three ninjutsu, Sir." Tsubasa nodded confidently. "I should be ready for another battle by next morning."

Not good, but when directly battling samurai, such injuries and exhaustion was to be expected. He was lucky that none of them died or lost limbs to their blades.

"How do you think mister Ryoma is- puppeteering something that big must be exhausting…" Tsubasa asked, turning to look at the massive puppet in the distance.

"From what I know of his abilities, Lord Ryoma is still fully ready for battle." Tsubame added with a glance in his direction. Sho ignored it. "His battlefield endurance is second to none."

Sho glanced towards the shattered fortress wall again, and the heaps of gore and bloody stains that littered the earth around it.

—

"Status." Sho demanded as Jonin Ryoma walked out of the smokecloud caused by the dismissal of his summoned giant puppet. The tall, well armored ninja inclined his blank, featureless mask slightly towards him.

"Chakra reserves at eighty six percent. No injuries. I was unable to completely destroy the enemy, they will likely regroup to cause additional trouble in the future." His voice was distorted by the distinct sound of a gas-filter, causing an unnerving reverberation.

'Unable to completely destroy them' meaning that they were allowed to scatter and regroup for the sake of furthering their mission-objectives. Sho inclined his head. "Status of the Kyojutsu?"

"Chakra reserves will need to be refilled, and two of the scatterpacks will need to be replaced." Ryoma shook his head. "I will be able to manage that in my free hours, but it will mean that I will have to operate at eighty percent reserves for some time."

The Kyojutsu had chakra reserves? That was not in the briefing he had received on it. He nodded shallowly. "I attempted to bring your other puppet with us, so as to not leave it undefended. I suspect I may have caused wear on the joints through unfamiliarity with the design."

The puppeteer tilted his faceless head. "Too heavy, right?" He replied knowingly. "My senior in the puppet corps, Tsuyumaru, told me the trick of lifting greater weights with chakra strings."

That wasn't really his problem, but he tilted his head to indicate curiosity anyways. Free information was free information.

The puppeteer continued. "Outrageous confidence is key- you cannot be distracted with shame or doubt."

"Sound advice." Sho replied mildly, briefly confused about why he was being offered advice in exchange for an implied debt. "If such wear is found, inform me so that the cost of repairs can be forwarded to the Weaponry Corps."

"Hm? Oh, don't worry. I was thinking of building another one soon enough anyways. I have some minor improvements in mind." The puppeteer shook his head. "What's the status of the rest of the team."

"Major chakra expenditure and minor injuries." Sho replied succinctly. "I will let you return to normal guard routines."

"Might be intelligent to cycle the injured to guard duties with myself." Ryoma replied. "Allow them to rest more effectively."

Sho nodded. "I was thinking similarly. Jonin Nagare and Sugimoto will join you for the next two days. I will maintain the patrols with Chunin Mao and Genins Benki and Tsubasa." The words provoked a mildly disgusted dread in his gut. Dealing with novice ninja- he was going to have to work overtime to keep them alive and effective.

Babysitting duty. There was a reason he never became a Jonin-Sensei.

—

"This attack on the Chikae- why has your lord demanded it?!" The Takeda heir demanded, standing over the captured samurai and next to the local lord, mister Chikae. Chikae was a thin man with a ratty mustache, wearing red and yellow robes with a number of wooden rings around his fingers. Currently, he looked down upon the captured samurai with a stern, incensed expression.

The two samurai were still bound and injured, but with heavy bludgeoning wounds well attended to by Sugimoto's expert hands. The older of the two looked pensive and steady, while the younger maintained a rebellious expression.

"To return the insult levied upon the Miyano, of course!" The younger almost shouted, harshly nodding towards the lord Chikae. "Not enough that he attempts to strangle our lord's lands through river-tax, but his recent actions are too much for our noble hearts to bear!"

"Taxation?!" Chikae shouted angrily. "Is that what this is about?! I already discussed this at length with Miyano! The destruction of my trade partner's lands- My revenue is not sufficient on its own to afford tribute to the Takeda, raising the river tax a fraction was my only choice!"

"Lies and falsehoods! You speak of starvation with a toothpick in your mouth!" The samurai yelled back.

"Shut up!" The older samurai growled at his junior, leaning forwards menacingly. "You are not calm enough to speak, brat!"

The younger samurai glowered, but his mouth snapped shut. The older samurai leaned back slowly, before nodding respectfully up at his captors.

"No… this is not about the river-tax." He shook his head. "Several weeks ago there was an attack on Miyano lands- an archer of supreme ability bombarded our walls and killed many men. He was eventually slain in return fire, and upon his corpse was found the symbol of the Chikae, as well as several herbs grown here and not in our lands."

"You think I had- that's an obvious framing!" The Chikae began, only to be cut off as the Takeda Heir snapped a glare towards him. Chikae slammed his mouth closed, seething quietly.

Takeda turned back to the bound samurai and nodded. "Continue." He commanded in his soft voice.

"My lord thought similarly." The older samurai nodded respectfully towards Chikae. Chikae's brows raised in a frustrated but mildly confused manner. "...But then another attack occured- a very similar archer of superlative ability, bombarding our fortresses, killing our men, who was eventually slain. Just the same as before, carrying the symbol of the Chikae."

"You slew him as well?" Takeda asked, giving meaningful glances towards his samurai.

Sho and his fellow ninja exchanged their own, equally meaningful glances.

"It was my own arrow that felled him." The older samurai declared confidently, before shaking his head sadly. "My lord was outraged enough at this point, turning us from our campaign against our enemies to the north-east to send a retaliatory force against the Chikae. I am not personally convinced that Lord Chikae had anything to do with this."

"A campaign against the north-east?"Takeda asked suddenly. "What is that- what's going on there?"

"Well…" The older samurai began with pressed lips. "To alleviate the expenses of the river tax and tribute to the Takeda, lord Miyano began a campaign to seize the lands of a minor, troublesome neighbor-"

"-You are familiar with the Oda clan, yes?"