Interlude 12

Sunagakure
Baki, Jonin

The mission given unto him was rather unorthodox. Joining a fellow Jonin in escorting a large number of Genin into a neighboring country was a premise that normally ended with suicide missions. In this case, the veritable platoon of low ranking ninja were not being used as war fodder, but instead receiving an example of how to conduct missions properly.

His first question had been ‘is this not the responsibility of their Jonin Sensei?’, which had been answered in short order. These were remedial genin, ones that had graduated but had been rejected as prospective students. They did not have a Jonin Sensei.

With that in mind, the logic of the mission was apparent. Even if they could not receive the full benefits of a Jonin education, taking time to show them a single example of the mission process would diminish the amount of trouble they’d cause or time they’d waste. It was far more reasonable to ask a Jonin to simply escort them once rather than taking on a full time team.

But bringing a full class of twenty or so at a single time? That he could not see sufficient reason for. Taking them all at once would massively increase their profiles, as well as spread the efforts of the Jonin escort too thin to defend them.

That was the two duties of the Jonin Sensei, after all, to educate Genin about the systems of missions and threat-assessment, and to protect them long enough to become full fledged Chunin. Anything more was left to their individual discretion. Asking a single Jonin to defend twenty or so Genin was unreasonable, too many points of failure at such a point.

Which, Baki supposed, is why the Lord Kazekage asked him to join this mission. One Jonin would be hard pressed to defend twenty hapless Genin, but it was just about a correct duty for two Jonin.

Troublesome, but within his abilities.

The journey was expected to take ten days and begin at o six hundred. Naturally he prepared fifteen days of supplies and showed up at the gates at five thirty. He was pleasantly surprised to see several of the Genin already present, standing and waiting along with his fellow Jonin for the mission.

More pleasantly, he recognized this ninja. The conical straw hat and white veil was distinctive enough to pick him out in a crowd. Baki raised his hand in greeting as he approached.

The other Jonin returned the wave, stepping forwards to greet him. “Yo. I don’t suppose you’re my partner for the trip to Rivers?”

“I am.” Baki greeted with a small professional nod. “Ryoma, correct? User of those disposable insect puppets.” He held his hand out for a shake, which was returned. A gauntleted hand closed around his bare palm, and three firm shakes were exchanged.

“I am- and I think you’re Baki, right? Wind blades.” Ryoma raised his finger and waved it in faint recognition. “I think we met at some point, but I don’t remember where.”

“Battle of Katakuri River, a year before the war ended.” Baki offered to help the memory of his peer. It was in that battle that he lost his left eye, and was offered a white veil to cover it. A distinct and unwritten honor that he shared with the Jonin before him. “It’s good to see you’ve been promoted since. I believe you were part of the Chunin group back then.”

“I was- I only got promoted once the war ended.” Ryoma shook his head, making his white veil whip around slightly. “Good to see a familiar face for this.”

“The sentiment is shared.” Baki nodded, glancing over at the small crowd of Genin looking curiously over at them. They certainly had the look of remedial students, it was in their bearing and expressions. “There was supposed to be about twenty, yes?” There were eleven currently present.

“About that- we’ll wait till six and then move out.” Ryoma shook his head. “I was planning on getting them organized into four-man teams and acting as Field Commander for the duration of this mission, with you as my Second. Is that acceptable or would you want to take Command?”

Either of them had to do it, the difference was mostly intellectual. In spite of thinking that, Baki had little desire to be potentially responsible for the deaths of so many Genin should the mission come across unforeseen troubles. “That’s acceptable, I’ll take Second-In-Command.”

Ryoma glanced over at the Genin, then nodded and addressed them. “Bonus lesson for being here early. When going on a mission, especially a mission with someone you aren’t entirely familiar with, it’s important to get a sense of your allies. Their strengths, weaknesses, and preferences in combat. It’s equally important that they get a good sense of your own strengths, weaknesses, and habits.”

He tilted his head. “Not to say that you need to tell them about all your super-secret Jutsu that I’m sure all of you have.” The sarcasm was applied liberally in the later half of the sentence. Baki restrained the urge to smirk amusedly. “But your commonly used skills and habits at minimum. As an example-“

Ryoma turned back towards him. “I’m a puppeteer specialized in close-range combat with a fair amount of wind and earth ninjutsu for support. I’m capable in hand-to-hand, but not exceptional. Please tell me if any of my weapons scratch you so I can give you the antidote, the poison isn’t lethal but it is a fast-acting paralytic.”

A reasonably broad set of abilities in his fellow Jonin, but Baki was familiar with most from their last encounter. He almost certainly had something more hidden away. Baki nodded and replied in the same spirit, keeping his own trump cards hidden in the same manner. “I specialize in close quarters combat, typically wielding paired kunai. I’m knowledgeable with wind and earth ninjutsu, and make regular use of both. I am a recognized practitioner of Wind Dragon Style.”

Ryoma nodded, reaching up to rub his chin underneath the white veil. “I see… I’m not familiar with Wind Dragon Style. A taijutsu?”

Baki nodded, feeling slightly abashed. Taijutsu wasn’t something to truly specialize in- it was a back up, a skill to rely upon if strategy or equipment had failed and the enemy was upon you. They were ninja, after all, not Samurai. Being proficient in a taijutsu like this was indicative of Baki’s long hours practicing his fail-safe skill. “A rather old-fashioned taijutsu- from the Imperial Era I’ve been told. My mother was insistent that I attend a dojo in my youth.” He replied stiffly, raising a hand and flattening his palm. “It focuses on wide ‘chopping’ and ‘slashing’ motions with the hands and legs.” Usually while layered with wind chakra.

Ryoma’s eyes indicated understanding. “Ah, I see. I don’t suppose you can point me in the direction of this dojo? I’ve been wanting to improve my hand-to-hand for some time now.”

Baki blinked, frowning as he reached up to scratch the side of his cheek. “I see. Unfortunately, the dojo shut down some years ago- the master died relatively early into the war.”

“Ah, unfortunate.” Ryoma shook his head. “Well I’d love to exchange Taijutsu pointers with you, but not right now, perhaps after the mission.”

A potentially intriguing prospect, to admit that so openly was indicative of good confidence. Baki inclined his head. “Perhaps. I’ll consider the prospect.”

Ryoma nodded. “Fair. As a general rule, I prefer to serve as vanguard and absorb enemy attention long enough for my allies to capitalize on the distraction.” Back to the exchange of information.

As a puppeteer? Peculiar. “I specialize in duels against lone enemies. I am capable in a mass combat scenario, but I’m most comfortable when facing targets that have been separated from their allies.” He tilted his head to the side. “From the sounds of it, we shouldn’t have any conflict in strategy.”

“Sounds like it- I’ll absorb attention by default while you eliminate key targets then?”

“Agreeable.”

It was good to be working with a fellow professional. Baki had to work with a few Chunin during his last mission, and they were decidingly frustrating. He glanced at the gaggle of children, now increased to fourteen members, and restrained the urge to deepen his frown.

Ryoma turned towards the Genin, pointing a thumb at himself and Baki. “See that? That’s a good example of how to introduce yourself and throw a basic strategy together. It’s always better to have something resembling a plan before combat comes, opposed to needing to come up with a plan on the spot. Not to say that you shouldn’t think on your feet too, but it’s almost never bad to prepare something beforehand.”

This mission shouldn’t be terribly difficult, but Baki certainly wasn’t looking forward to it. He remembered full well what his peers were like as Genin, and most did not survive the war.

Those that survived were those that persevered.

“You have the funds from the Logistics Division correct? For the purchases?” Baki asked just to be sure.

Ryoma nodded, reaching up to pat his vest. “Picked it up an hour ago, along with the bulk storage scrolls.”

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Baki nodded. “Excellent. I’m ready to leave whenever, Field Commander.”

It was almost like being back in the war again, saying those words. Made him feel strangely nostalgic.

“Fourteen minutes left, then we’re heading out.” Ryoma inclined his head, letting the straw hat fall over his eyes. “We’ll sort them into teams as we walk- I had them go through a strategy meeting about that yesterday.”

—

Land of Wind
Baki, Jonin

“As previously discussed, everyone organize into teams of four.” Ryoma spoke in a consistently flat tone, flat and dry like a desert plain. It was easy enough to hear him through the cool wind of the early morning and over the unobstructed plains, even despite his position in the back of the group. “Jun, Azuko, Hiyako, Zakuza. You’re Team One, led by Jun.”

The four Genin in question were already relatively close to one another, but grouped themselves off slightly more in response to the command. A blonde boy with a straight sword, a black haired girl in yellow and red, a black haired girl in blue and white, and a brown haired boy with red facepaint similar to Baki’s own. The black-haired girl wearing yellow and red made a slightly frustrated huff at that, but didn’t complain further.

“Takumi, Haru, Himeno, Konda. You’re Team Two, led by Konda.”