Here you go, a new chapter. I hope you all enjoy it.
I would appreciate your feedback, comments, and power stones. I want to read all of your comments to see if I am doing well. Please enjoy.
Thank you all for your support.
And a special thank you to those who support me here and on Patreon. I appreciate you very much and look forward to more.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Six days later, somewhere southeast of Yugakure;
"This may have been a waste of time," Ryuu muttered as he and Phoenix sat quietly to eat. They were sitting quietly and hidden in a tall tree.
It has been six days since the two Anbu teams started to look into the kidnapping situation in the land of hot springs.
The two teams have separated to cover more ground, with Team Shi on the lookout in the northern area of the land of Hot Springs near Yugakure, while Team Ro ventured to the south to look around the capital of the land of Hot Springs and the villages nearby.
Even with that, throughout that time, the two teams couldn't find any good leads on the kidnappings.
"We are just being thorough, Buntaicho. So, it isn't a waste of time." Phoenix said as she ate a piece of the special dried meat provided by Ryuu.
"But it sure feels like it. Especially since we are still here because of a hunch of mine." Ryuu muttered as he finished eating and took out his water flask to take a drink.
Phoenix didn't reply as she continued to eat, but her attention returned to Ryuu as his head turned to look to his left while still drinking from his flask.
"You sense something, Buntaicho?" Phoenix asked
"Yeah, I can sense Pakkun. He seems to be running towards Yugakure." Ryuu said as he put his water flask away and stood up.
"Can team Ro have found something?" Phoenix asked as she too stood up while finishing her food.
"Let's go find out," Ryuu said as he disappeared in a body flicker, followed by Phoenix.
With Pakkun;
"Baka, Kakashi." Pakkun muttered out with slight heat behind it.
He has been running blind for hours after Inu had summoned him to go get the other Anbu team.
Inu had told him to go and get Ryuu and Phoenix and inform them that they had found leads without elaborating.
Even though Pakkun had met Ryuu and Phoenix before, he couldn't track them because he hadn't smelled their scent before, even though he was with them. He could smell nothing off them.
Inu just pointed in the direction of Yugakure for Pakkun to run toward and told him that Ryuu would find him.
Pakkun grumbled under his breath as he continued running, hoping that this would end soon.
"Pakkun"
Pakkun stopped in his tracks at the sound of his name being called.
Looking around into the dense foliage and trees around him, he saw the two he was supposed to meet coming out of some bushes to his left.
"Hey," Pakkun said as he sat down while raising his front paw for a greeting.
"Hey, Pakkun. What brought you here?" Ryuu asked as he looked at the pug in front of him.
"I was told to come get you and lead you to the others. They found a potential lead," Pakkun said, making Ryuu and Phoenix look at each other for a moment before looking back at Pakkun.
"Lead the way then," Ryuu said, to which Pakkun nodded before turning around and starting to run back.
Hours later, the south shore of Haran Bay, northeast of the capital of the land of hot springs;
"You are here," Inu said as he saw Pakkun arrive along with Team Shi.
"What have you got?" Ryuu asked, going directly to the point.
"In a second," Inu said before looking at Pakkun.
"You can leave now. Thank you for your hard work." Inu said to Pakkun.
Pakkun nodded before turning to Ryuu.
"See you later," Pakkun said before disappearing in a puff of smoke.
Inu let out a silent sigh. He expected that. Pakkun and the other dogs in his pack enjoy being around Ryuu, as he sometimes gives them treats, like dried meats and other things, when they have done a job, treating them like his own dire wolf packs.
Pakkun should have definitely received something from Ryuu on the way here.
"The situation is as follows," Inu said, pulling Team Shi's attention while his own team listened carefully.
"We have spotted individuals being kidnapped from the edges of the capital before being brought here," Inu said before pointing to the edge of the high cliff they are standing on top of.
"At the foot of the cliff, there is an entrance to a cave that is about 150 meters down from here. The cave entrance is near the waterline but far enough so that water from the high tides doesn't enter." Inu said before pointing to the left.
"There is a gradual way down about a kilometer from here that the kidnappers used to take the kidnappees into the cave. The kidnappees were a very young woman and a male child." Inu finished
"Any information on what we are dealing with?" Ryuu asked as he kneeled down, pressing two fingers to the ground.
"Only five individuals were sighted bringing the kidnappees here. We don't know if there are more inside the cave, as we haven't attempted to enter the cave while waiting for you to arrive." Inu said
"This is..." Ryuu said with a slightly shocked tone. He didn't like what he was sensing. While his sensing ability is among the best, he needed contact with the ground to push chakra through it due to the large amount of soil and rock between him and what he was trying to sense 150 meters below.
"What is it?" Inu asked as the others also looked at Ryuu.
"I feel about thirty-three signatures below. They are spread in an area about a kilometer and a half in diameter, one hundred and fifty meters deep in the ground. Twenty signatures seem ordinary, while the other thirteen are worrying. Three give off a feeling similar to Hidan; nine give a weaker but similar feeling. But the last one gives a way stronger feeling, more powerful, and far more sinister." Ryuu said with a heavy tone, making tense silence appear around the two Anbu teams.
"It is like a town down there," Neko muttered.
"How can a gathering of this size go unnoticed?" Tenzo muttered.
"How do we approach this?" Inu asked
"Slowly and carefully. They don't know we are here, but we also don't know the layout of the cave. Take them out slowly and quietly, one after the other. We can't afford to be discovered early due to their numbers. Be on the lookout for the kidnappees and what we came for." Ryuu said, to which Inu and the others nodded.
"Be sure to behead them and keep their voices quiet. We can't afford to alert them to others. Also, don't allow them to help each other reattach their heads." Ryuu said with a blank, cold tone as he stood up with the other, who nodded ever so stiffly.
To be continued.
Guys and gals, show me those powerstones.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you all enjoyed the chapter.
200 power stones if you want an additional chapter
300 power stones for two additional chapters.
350 power stones for a third additional chapter.
I would appreciate feedback, reviews, comments, and power stones from you guys. I would like to read all of your comments. I would like to know if I am doing well and if you enjoy what I write.
Thank you all for your support.
1308 words
For those who wish to support:
www.patreon.com/Lord_Ashura