The Three Wolves
Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2020 3:33 pm
Over a week had passed since Shinjiro had arrived in Iwagakure. He had taken the time to train with some of the villages shinobi and explore the village alongside Maido but there was no mistake that he had not been in the hidden stone village as a tourist. He was purposeful and with the exception of a few impulsive behaviors he had taken the time to prepare for the mission he had been assigned. His goal was to infiltrate Iron Country and reach their leader, assassinating him alongside an S-Rank MN and a Bannin level shinobi from his own village. Initially, Shinjiro had thought that infiltrating a palace and killing a Daimyo wouldn’t be particularly difficult for someone of his talents, however the more he researched Iron Country and its people the more he realized that this was in fact a daunting task. For one, they did not have a Daimyo, but rather a Taisho, their strongest and smartest Samurai, likely the most formidable non-shinobi in the world. Moreover, there was no palace or easy access, there was only one city in Iron Country and it was build like a fortress, a large military compound filled with expert swordsmen.
An aggressive approach was not an option and likewise tricking a man of such mental fortitude and military experience would be foolish to attempt for anything a 16-year-old could come up with. Still, the trio needed a way in and they needed to be able to at least incapacitate the man so Maido could take over his body. Infiltration and assassination were Shinjiro’s strengths, he was sure he would be able to get to the target, though identifying the man might be more difficult. He doubted they would make it obvious. He too had to consider how best to utilize Hyoryu’s skillset, the puppet user had impressive firepower but even he couldn’t stand up to an army of samurai, a distraction perhaps? But then they would be on guard, these were not the sort of people that a divide and conquer strategy would work against. Nothing they through at them would rattle their fortitude and composure. Stealth then, pure infiltration, avoid conflict at all costs but keep Hyoryu available for backup and diversion as an exit plan. That was the only feasible option.
Shinjiro had mused a few different stealth tactics, getting himself in was easy and Maido could store herself in him though she still had a core that had be manifested within his body when she entered him, meaning their was a restriction on how small he could go when hosting her. Still, there were ways around it, all it meant is they might have to subdue a guard. The young Jounin and Jinchuuriki of Kirigakure had been mulling over contingencies and the risks of the mission as he traveled across Earth Country, Maido storing herself inside him as he traveled in the form of a large black wolf. It was easier to brave the cold and traverse the terrain in such a form. After a few days the young man arrived at the meetup point, 10 miles from the border with Iron Country. The meetup location was a notable ridge, not nearly the highest point in the mountainous terrain but distinct enough in its long serpent-like curves and steep edges that went on for several miles before dipping into a ravine that could be followed closer to Iron country before needing to pass over one last mountain, though given the other countries similarly cold and mountainous terrain it would be nearly impossible to tell when they crossed over aside from some hidden guard posts on the side of Rock Country. That was what the map indicated anyway, though as he arrived at the first peak of the ridge, Shinjiro was only concerned with the arrival of the man known as Hyoryu. He wondered which form he would be in and if he was already there. It was difficult to tell exactly what time of day it was with the surrounding mountains, and heavily clouded sky, a strong wind whistling through the air as the large black wolf howled into the sky before transforming into his human form, wearing a thick brown cloak pulled up over his head, digging into his pouch he withdrew his Kirigakure headband and held it up, turning around slowly so that even if the man was a fair distance away he might be able to see it. They had been scheduled to meet on that day, he only assumed the puppet MN would be there already considering he had no need to eat or sleep and felt no discomfort from the cold.
An aggressive approach was not an option and likewise tricking a man of such mental fortitude and military experience would be foolish to attempt for anything a 16-year-old could come up with. Still, the trio needed a way in and they needed to be able to at least incapacitate the man so Maido could take over his body. Infiltration and assassination were Shinjiro’s strengths, he was sure he would be able to get to the target, though identifying the man might be more difficult. He doubted they would make it obvious. He too had to consider how best to utilize Hyoryu’s skillset, the puppet user had impressive firepower but even he couldn’t stand up to an army of samurai, a distraction perhaps? But then they would be on guard, these were not the sort of people that a divide and conquer strategy would work against. Nothing they through at them would rattle their fortitude and composure. Stealth then, pure infiltration, avoid conflict at all costs but keep Hyoryu available for backup and diversion as an exit plan. That was the only feasible option.
Shinjiro had mused a few different stealth tactics, getting himself in was easy and Maido could store herself in him though she still had a core that had be manifested within his body when she entered him, meaning their was a restriction on how small he could go when hosting her. Still, there were ways around it, all it meant is they might have to subdue a guard. The young Jounin and Jinchuuriki of Kirigakure had been mulling over contingencies and the risks of the mission as he traveled across Earth Country, Maido storing herself inside him as he traveled in the form of a large black wolf. It was easier to brave the cold and traverse the terrain in such a form. After a few days the young man arrived at the meetup point, 10 miles from the border with Iron Country. The meetup location was a notable ridge, not nearly the highest point in the mountainous terrain but distinct enough in its long serpent-like curves and steep edges that went on for several miles before dipping into a ravine that could be followed closer to Iron country before needing to pass over one last mountain, though given the other countries similarly cold and mountainous terrain it would be nearly impossible to tell when they crossed over aside from some hidden guard posts on the side of Rock Country. That was what the map indicated anyway, though as he arrived at the first peak of the ridge, Shinjiro was only concerned with the arrival of the man known as Hyoryu. He wondered which form he would be in and if he was already there. It was difficult to tell exactly what time of day it was with the surrounding mountains, and heavily clouded sky, a strong wind whistling through the air as the large black wolf howled into the sky before transforming into his human form, wearing a thick brown cloak pulled up over his head, digging into his pouch he withdrew his Kirigakure headband and held it up, turning around slowly so that even if the man was a fair distance away he might be able to see it. They had been scheduled to meet on that day, he only assumed the puppet MN would be there already considering he had no need to eat or sleep and felt no discomfort from the cold.