[Hatake Shinde]

It was her first time out of the village gates, and it was also the first time traveling with her newfound father, and it was also her first mission. She had come equipped with her basic ninja tools, a Jitte which rested along her right side, and her headband which rested along her forehead, her hair tied back into a ponytail, stopping at her shoulders. She wore a long sleeve grey clothes with a red scarf wrapped around her neck. In preparation for this mission, she found it relevant to prepare beforehand, reading a bit about the behaviors of wolves, as well as their tendencies and habits. Frankly, waiting by the outer gate, looking into the forests that their village was known for, she couldn't help but be reminded that their village legacy was built and founded by the Senju Clan from so long ago.

She was enraptured by the prospect of new sights beyond the "small world" she lived in previously, and in a sense, wanderlust was here for this young girl. When Toshizou arrived, she bowed her head politely. "Good morning!~" She was chipper, but for a child her age, she seemed calm and mature. "I can't believe it. My first ever mission is going to be hunting for wolves. What a way to earn your first paycheck." She responds with seeming general enthusiasm towards the task at hand. "I hear that Genin are tasked with usually D-Rank missions in order to build their general skills and serve the community, and to serve the many needs of our village. So I find it a great privilege and honor that I'd be allowed to test my skills to this extent already."

A C-Rank. The common bread and butter that usually Chunin Rank Ninja or higher partook in. She knew all missions in the village were important and that each and every commission provided for their village nation. She was more than happy to let her father take the lead and show her the path to professionalism. Her first time as a traveler and Kunoichi, she felt great. 

[Hatake Toshizō]

"the lone wolf dies". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." MEET UP Toshizou arrived not long after Shinde, and he was wearing his traditional shinobi attire and carrying his sword on his belt. The people bowed respectfully to him as he walked and he responded to most of it with a short, subtle bow, but he didn't stop to talk to anyone; instead, he headed straight towards the girl and she bowed to him, he kneeled before her so they could be on a similar level, pat her head and gave her a kind smile. "Good morning, Iruhi. I see you are here on time, that's good." he complimented her. Being such a disciplinarian, he expected that much and was happy the girl was well aware of the importance of punctuality. Once he greeted the girl, he stood up again and chuckled lightly with just how excited she was to go on a C-Rank Mission as her first mission. The man shrugged at that. "Guess I'm at fault for that. You were going to be assigned a D-Rank, but I changed that. I believe you have what it takes, as a friend of mine told me you managed to spar with the Hyuuga brat." he mentioned, revealing he was aware of her training session with the heir of the Hyuuga clan. From the looks of it, it seemed like Iruhi was ready to follow the man, but that was not what he had planned. "I name you Captain of this mission, so I will be there to assist you. I know it sounds like a great responsibility, but I believe it will be good for your growth." he announced in a tone that made it clear that he had already decided upon that. "So, what are your directions, Captain?" he asked, with a subtle yet kind smile on his face. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" C-Rank Mission Konoha's gates [Hatake Shinde] [303 words]

[Hatake Shinde]

He was kind to her, and that made her all the more easy to accept him, love him, and bond with him, and so, she rubs the back of her head a bit nervously when he mentions the Hyuuga. "Spar...I think is a bit generous. More like I got tossed around a bit. But he's someone I strive to meet someday as an equal. He's way more experienced than I am, and he's had more work. I have a lot of work to do if I'm going to catch up to him. Honestly...I think he could definitely make Chuunin." Granted, she didn't really have much measure to say who should and shouldn't be such after all. She was still green. However, when he mentions putting her in charge for the mission, as well as having been the reason for getting the C-Rank? She widened her eyes at the responsibility, at the fact he brought her, before nodding her head, wrapping the scarf more closely around her mouth.

"Well...the area we're going to is a mining village, and after some research on animal behavior, I was hoping to get an idea of reconnaissance before rushing into the caves. Talk to the villagers and get an idea of how deep it is, if there's connecting tunnels, something along that line. Seal the extra entrances temporarily, and then if possible, utilize a fire jutsu and smoke them out. That's the plan. The only problem is, in mines like those, they mine coal, as well as other minerals. From my study, if there's a large amount of coal dust or natural gas gathered, it could cause an explosion that would not only kill the wolves, but destroy the mine and cause a huge collapse."

Showing that she's done some studies and research, she proceeds to shake her head. "So, we might need to turn to alternative methods, or a similar plan, just without fire involved. Any ideas?" As they made their way out, at a semi leisurely pace, she tried to wrack her brain together, turning to a more rational mindset, trying to view the plan in her mind's eye. From her perspective, she didn't want to have to kill the wolves if it wasn't necessary, but knew the villagers would likely prefer that route, seeing if they settled in there once, there might be another den. At the same time, she was sure if the wolves found the home to not be safe, they wouldn't remain there. There were also thoughts that so long as they could force the wolves out, they could face them on more even grounds.

[Hatake Toshizō]

"the lone wolf dies". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." PLAN Toshizou arched one of his brows when she mentioned that she strived to become an equal to the Hyuuga boy one day, and even mentioned that she believed he could be a Chuunin. "Chuunin? That boy? I wonder... He is a bit problematic, but I guess he would be able to. From what I hear he has been doing better as of lately, so who knows. But you made me curious. I guess I will pay a visit to his mother and check for myself. We were teammates when we were both Genin." he explained, revealing the connection he had with the boy's mother. Then, Iruhi explained her initial plan and he just listened. He was happy she was aware of the risk of causing an explosion and he nodded confirming that it was indeed a real possibility, and thus asked him for any ideas that would not necessarily involve fire. "We could use smoke bombs instead. They would cause the same effect without the added risk of explosion." he suggested, pausing for a second before continuing. "Or I can also send one of my ninkens to serve as bait and lure them out. Whatever you think its best, Captain." he said, smiling to the girl upon referring to her by the title she was granted for this mission. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" C-Rank Mission Konoha's gates [Hatake Shinde] [223 words]

[Hatake Shinde]

"He's strong...Strong enough to utterly beat me down. I want to train hard enough to match him at some point. " She declares with no hesitation there, remembering the utter manhandling he gave her just a while back. However, she proceeded to drift away from that topic as she lightly clenches a fist and shakes it out. That said, being called a captain truly did make her feel strange, namely because she never imagined herself truly in such a position of authority ever in her life. After all, she was a child, even if she was a Genin. "We'll figure out the situation when we get there." She decides, and swiftly begins to walk along her road with the supplies she had on hand. Though, in the time it took to get there, she thought about wolves, and the fangs that they bared, even going as far as to dream of wolves whilst on their journey. Before long, they would arrive at their destination.

All in all, for the mining community that seemed pressed before them in Tetsu no Gai, it seemed as if not much had changed in the long run of things. At least, not as far as she could tell. After all, while wolves making refuge in a mine was relatively annoying, and at times dangerous, it wasn't quite something that one could say changed a way of life. Right? Stepping forward, gazing at the land before her, perhaps her father might find the place somewhat similar to home. For it was here there was the pounding of steel, the work of stone masons, artisans, and the craft of the hands. Before long, there came the visage of a few men, adorned in hakama of black and silver, paying them visit with a polite bow. "You must be the Shinobi that were hired to deal with our little problem. We've been expecting you."

Iruhi stood to her father's side, and with it, the head man continued. "Come. We'll explain the situation over something warm to drink. It gets cold here at night." And so, the father and daughter would find themselves escorted to a comfortable lodging, and it was there she seemed to consider to herself what it must have been like to be a blacksmith, or artisan, and how different the lives these people lead were. It was something that was somewhat difficult to digest in some ways, and she came to wonder how she being here with her father would change that way of life, for better or worse. 

[Hatake Toshizō]

"the lone wolf dies". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." ARRIVAL It was a bit surprising to hear that the Hyuuga boy was finally living up to his family name, and Toshizou wondered if it wasn't about time he should visit the boy's mother, his old teammate, and check on them. The Hyuuga being as important as they were to the village, it was a bit reassuring to hear that the heir was not a broken kid isolated in a room anymore, afraid of the sight of blood, but he felt no need to delve into that topic any more, and since Iruhi also moved past it, focusing on the mission instead, the man nodded in agreement; they would think about the details there, once they had properly assessed the situation. Following her closely, they continued their path until they reached their destination. It didn't take long for them to be greeted by the locals, who rightfully assumed they were the Shinobi from the Leaf and Toshizou nodded at that, giving the man the necessary confirmation. After that, he escorted the duo to their lodging with the offer of a warm drink, and the two shinobi were quick to follow. The man noticed that Iruhi was awake and alert, observing the place as they walked, and that made him feel proud, she was indeed a good young shinobi with plenty of potential. Once inside, he accepted the warm tea and bowed his head ever so slightly in gratitude. "Thank you for the beverage. You may brief Iruhi on the mission details." he said, pointing his head towards the girl, indicating she was the one responsible for leading this mission. He knew that might look unusual, but the Shinobi world was very different from the normal one, and people who relied on their services grew used to that. Sometimes a younger, smaller looking person was actually the strongest. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" C-Rank Mission Lodgings [Hatake Shinde] [310 words]

[Hatake Shinde]

Despite the oddity of being tasked to give the briefing to the girl, once actually settled into a nice inn, tea was placed before them as well as warm stew. "Here in our homeland, we are miners, as the primary and major source of our land's income. We export iron, tin, copper, silver, and otherwise across Hi no Kuni to be turned into every day commodities. From the ninja tools you use, to armor, to the currency people use to buy those things with. One would imagine that wolves are a relatively minor thing, something that we could deal with. However, the wolves are rather...peculiar." The man declares, and with it, Shinde took into consideration the lives that every day people turned and lived with, and she empathized with their plight. However, she asks, "How so?"

"The wolves. They're larger than expected, and fiercely defensive over the cave they've settled into. Some of our young men say that the largest of them are the size of a horse, with fur as white as snow, and eyes as red as blood. Whatever the case, other than occupying the mine, they are hunters. As they are by nature. From time to time an animal is lost, and at this point, we felt it was appropriate to pay commission to you leaf ninja to take care of the matter for us. However that may be. The quicker however, the better."

Iruhi was certainly not the most experienced at dealing with animals, and in part, the girl wished that an Inuzuka was with them, seeing they seemed rather knowledgeable about these sorts of things. "...I'm guessing it's going to be hard to tell for sure how many there are, but I need to know. If they're that large, and assuming it isn't exaggerated, how large are your mines?" There seemed to be a smirk for a moment and a great amount of pride as the miner then declares, "Our mines are rather large and expansive, built upon from generation by generation. You'll find many interlocking tunnels, and spacious areas at the beginning of the mines that breach inward. Certainly spacious enough for the wolves anyways."


"Then if that's the case, if you could give me a crude map outline of the mine they're staying in, and any tunnels it connects to, we'll take care of the rest sir. For now, please leave me while I work on details of our plan of approach with my comrade. Arigato Gozaimashita. Itadakimasu." She bows her head politely, and as they go to procure said map, she looks to her father, lightly brooding as she seemed to mull her thoughts. "It seems like we might need to track down our targets first before doing anything else...So, if you have any jutsu that would assist in that. That's the first step. Next. Trapping, as well as isolating the number of areas the wolves can leave or come in. Third step. Taking care of the problem." Lightly taking a sip of tea and resting the cup along the table, she seemed to be in a different more professional mood. 

[Hatake Toshizō]

"the lone wolf dies". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." NINKEN The man in charge was sharing a bit of the situation they were in, explaining thei labour, and mentioning the fact that the wolves harassing them were unusual. Iruhi asked how they were different, and the man was quick in responding. They were large, some claimed that they were larger than a horse. The man massaged his chin with his index and thumb in a thoughtful expression, but he didn't say a word, allowing the man to continue. As expected, they were pressed for time. They wanted the wolves gone as soon as possible so that their home could return to a semblance of normalcy, and Toshizou could hardly blame them. He glanced over to Iruhi, and a subtle yet proud smile took over his face: the girl was asking all the right questions and portraying herself as a dignified, capable shinobi. Once the man finished explaining it, Iruhi asked for a map and privacy, in that order, and once the man left the place, she turned to Toshizou. She had a plan in mind and he liked it. When asked if he had a way to track it, Toshizou nodded. "As a matter of fact, I'm an extremely capable tracker and this will provide the perfect opportunity to introduce you to some of our allies, the Hatake Ninken. Once we have the map, I will summon their leader, Pakkun, introduce you to him, and depending on how well you work together, we can talk about signing that contract. But that's something for later." he paused, taking a sip of his tea. "The outline of your plan is good, I believe this will be an easy job. I'm proud of you, Iruhi." he said, widening his smile a tad bit. Toshizou finished his tea shortly after speaking, placing the cup on the table. He was ready to go whenever she was. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" C-Rank Mission Preparations [Hatake Shinde] [314 words]

[Hatake Shinde]

She was glad that things went smoothly so far, but the young girl had to pause when he mentioned Ninken? As in ninja dogs? That was a moment of curiosity, as she listened to him say he was a very good tracker. However, the only Ninken she ever heard of were the ones the Inuzuka Clan raised. So then...what was this? "Huh?...Summon them? How are you going to get them here? We've already been gone from the village for days." Evidently, the young girl had never heard of the Hatake's summoning contract, nor had she ever heard of the summoning jutsu in general so it would seem. An interesting form of space time ninjutsu that might be confusing for quite a few Shinobi to grasp, and very rarely if ever have the opportunity to actually perform.

"Signing a contract? Erh...Yeah. I need to read about the terms first." He was throwing a lot of things that didn't seem to make sense with her, and for a moment, she had to come to question how it was she was going to make a contract with a dog in the first place. It left her with more curiosities than answers so far. However, when he mentioned getting the job done, she proceeded to spring upwards, making sure she drank all of her tea before resting it along the tabletop. It would be rude to leave any behind. So, with that said, she would follow him, curious on what exactly it was her old man was talking about. As far as she was concerned, she had never heard of a jutsu that allowed one to summon an animal from out of nowhere.

"Ano. Otou-San? What was your first mission anyways? If you don't mind me asking...And what was it like? I always imagined my first mission would be with my team and my sensei, but...I guess not all things turn out like that. Huh? Ehe." A small sweatdrop at the realization that her ninja experience so far didn't feel so typical, traveling with someone that up until a week ago, she didn't even know was her father to begin with in the first place, and a ninja of an incredibly high and prestigious position as well. Guess Kami had a really weird way of operating and doing things didn't they? Ah, well, she ought to think about that later. After all, her father had a story to tell. 

[Hatake Toshizō]

"the lone wolf dies". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." PAKKUN For a moment he seemed confused, then he realised what was going on: she didn't know about the summoning technique. "Seems like you are not familiar with the summoning technique. That's okay, don't feel bad about it. The summoning technique is a special space-time ninjutsu that allows you to summon forth a creature you have bonded to through a blood contract. In the case of our clan, the Hatake, we have a long relationship with some special Ninken. They are quite different from the ones used by the Inuzuka clan, however." his explanation was brief, as they didn't really have the time to go through every single detail, but he was confident she was going to understand it. He chuckled lightly when she seemed unsure about the contract, mentioning the terms of it. "The contract is essentially a bond that is formed between you and the creatures. A mutual cooperation agreement involving respect, honour and duty." As they walked outside, Toshizou was ready to summon one of his dogs, but before he could do that, Iruhi asked him about his first mission. "Well... My first mission was quite simple and I did it alone, no sensei, no team. I was tasked with retrieving a lost pet bird to an old man. It was a challenge, because the creature could fly, but eventually I managed to get it into a trap and give it back to his owner. If anything, you are starting with a mission with way more at stake than I did." he told her with a smile on his face. With that said and done, however, he was ready to proceed with their mission. The man bit his thumb, drawing some blood from it. "To summon your allies, you need to offer some of your blood. Then, the necessary hand seals." and as he paused, he quickly performed the seals necessary for the summoning technique, and then he slammed his right hand on the ground. When it did hit, it created a circle with some kanji on it. "Kuchyose no Jutsu!" he exclaimed, and - with a poof of smoke - a small, miniature pug wearing a blue jacket and the Hidden Leaf forehead protector appeared. The pug looked around and found Toshizou. "Toshi-kun, you need my help I see. Oh? This girl has a smell similar to yours!" and upon saying that, Toshizou nodded, and Pakkun turned his face to stare at the girl. "Little girl, I'm Pakkun. It's nice to meet Toshi-kun's daughter. As a sign of my favour, you may touch my paw." he said, lifting his front paw. "They are really soft and nice." he sagely nodded. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" C-Rank Mission Summoned Pakkun [Hatake Shinde ] [445 words]

[Hatake Shinde]

It seemed that there was still a lot that Iruhi wasn't aware about. How the world was really functioning in the larger scheme of things when it came down to jutsu. However, she was quickly looking to get to speed, eating up all the knowledge her father was tossing her. However, she had to listen to him with a grain of salt when he basically explained they were...summoning animals from another dimension if she understood correctly? Was that what was going on here? Or another place in space and time. She remained silent, up until she saw him bite his thumb, which looked somewhat...painful, much to her thought mindset, but then he did it. A poof of smoke, and just like that, she saw a pug. It might have been a somewhat bored and tired looking pug, but it was a pug.

Her eyes widened and seemed to snap into place when she was called upon, and then she had to ask in her mind how in the world it could talk! There really was a wide world of jutsu she didn't know! However, before long, she kneels down to get more on an eye level with Pakkun. "Arigato. Pakkun-San. My name is Iruhi. Ehem." Taking her hand out, she shakes his paw before slowly figuring out the gist or idea of how they were going to do their work from here onward. "We'll be needing your help to do some tracking. To lock down some areas. Nothing too hard Pakkun-San. Will you lend us your help?" 

Assuming he agreed, to this aid, Iruhi sought to gather the map, and found out that the problem wasn't incredibly complex. There were a few interlocking areas of mine where the tunnels when collapsed met with one another, and as a result, there were three different entrances that held potential intersection. Three potential areas of mine where the wolves could enter and exit. All she needed Pakkun for was to confirm this was the case. To see that these tunnels indeed had a strong lingering scent. Though upon arrival at the mine? That seemed rather evident in some ways. She saw toppled minecarts, the remnants of shedding dark grey fur, as well as scratch and claw marks. It smelled like well...dogs. Though, what more, she could see it. Scratch marks, and the remnants of bones.

The villagers here did mention that they stole livestock from time to time, but what was more, she saw a jagged claw mark that was embedded into stone...What exactly was going on here? Looking ahead, she wondered just how much truth and validity there was to this "wolf story", and proceeded then to look to her father. "My thought is...hrm. Barricade two entrances. Block them off. Place traps at the one we're going to engage, and then we can try to build a big enough fire to smoke or root them out. The villagers want the wolves hunted down to prevent them from coming back but...our mission did say to just get rid of them from the mine."

"So if they leave with less of a fight. Let's go for it."

[Hatake Toshizō]

"the lone wolf dies". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." BLOCKAGE Pakkun seemed pleased with Iruhi's words, for he somehow smiled at her. "It's a pleasure to meet Toshi-kun's kid, Iruhi-chan. I'm happy to help, so you can count on me." he said as he lifted his paw and nodded. Then, the girl grabbed the map, and it seemed rather straightforward, with only three potential areas in which the wolves could enter and exit the place. She needed Pakkun to confirm it by checking the smell in the areas, so they could know for sure where the wolves were going, or which areas they were using, and with that in mind, they went to the mines. As they approached it, Pakkun already caught on to the smell of the wolves. "There are a decent number of wolves in there. Hmmm... Twelve of them." his scent was the sharpest among all of the Hatake Ninken, which made Pakkun quite the useful ally to have on many missions. Iruhi laid out her plan, and Toshi and Pakkun nodded; she was indeed the captain and with that being said, the older man approached one of the entrances. "I will take care of blocking the two entrances. Pakkun you will let you know when I'm done." and without further ado, Toshizou used the Body Flicker Technique to vanish from sigh, heading straight to one of the entrances. Once there, he used his Doton: Doryuu Heki to create a strong earth wall, blocking both the exists. Once he was done, and before he was able to come back, Pakkun nodded to the girl. "Toshi is done with the entrances." he informed the girl. The technique the Hatake used was costly on chakra, but he wasn't too concerned as the wolves didn't pose much of a threat to him. And considering the level of technique he used, it would be absolutely impossible for them to break through it, so now they had only one option to escape the mines. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" C-Rank Mission Blocked two entrances with Earth Style Wall [Hatake Shinde] [330 words]

SPOILER: Click to show

Name: Doryuu Heki - [Earth Style Wall]
Rank: B
Chakra Usage: High
Type: Ninjutsu [General]
Element: Doton
HANDSEALS: 4
Description
Doryuu Heki is a defensive Ninjutsu utilizing the Earth Element. The ninja will do the necessary hand seals and then spew a line of mud onto the ground. The mud will then grow into a large hardened mud wall to help defend against incoming attack. It should be noted that if the user places their hands near the mud on the ground after spewing it, they can have more control over how the wall forms such as making faces or shapes in the hardened mud.

[Hatake Shinde]

Iruhi found herself at the precipice now. Exits blocked. All it took was the gathering of the tinder and leaves, and with it, came the potential for fire, an inferno. "Katon: Housenka no Jutsu!" The ring around her lips released concentrated small blasts of flame that erupted into a small wall, and as the flames furled, they raged with the crackling around the opening of the cave's mouth, illuminating the entrance. With fire came smoke, and with smoke, came growls. She could see the wolves before her, and by all means, the accounts of them were not false. They looked large, ferocious, and angrier than any dog Iruhi had ever seen. Feral. Iruhi looked on, her eyes widened at the sight of those crimson eyes, looking upon her with a desire not for murder, nor death.

Instead, a will to protect. Iruhi looks on, and she finds that the wolves ahead, the largest of them steps forth. Stomping down upon her fires for a hint of a moment, before staring deeply upon the white haired genin. She freezes, and for a moment, as she looks on into its eyes, she finds herself unable to move. As if she was caught in some sort of genjutsu. As if she was frozen in place by its majesty and its power. This cave was the wolf's home, and for a moment, she couldn't find reason to contest that in the slightest reason. The wolf's size was as they said, as large as a horse, if not even larger, standing tall with a brilliant coat of silvery white. The young Iruhi feels her body tense, and for some reason, instead of attacking, or pressing forth with stronger flames?

She lets her hands drop. She didn't move however, as the beast proceeds to let out a howl that echoes through the air, and for a moment, Iruhi felt as if it were calling to her in a way as well, before then the wolves leave, and disperse. Dash away at fast speeds. The young child slowly snaps from her stupor, realizing no that a bead of sweat was dripping from her forehead, and for a moment, she wondered. Because for some reason, she was imagining that if she dared to attack and fight that wolf, it would have absolutely, and undeniably killed her. It was like a demon, and she felt as if she dared to threaten members of its pack, no amount of punishment or wounds would bring it down before it would grasp its fangs around her throat and rip it clean free. 

[Hatake Toshizō]

"the lone wolf dies". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." BLOODY DEMON Once he had secured that all exists were blocked, he started making his way back to where Iruhi was. The sight of smoke coming out of it was good, and so was the howl, but then there was nothing else. With his Kagura Mind's Eye, he could feel the presence of every single creature in the area, and Iruhi was there, frozen, while the wolves moved towards her. "Iruhi, what are you doing?" he wondered as he started running towards it. Pakkun growled and stood in front of the girl, as if he was ready to protect her from harm, but the wolf seemed more interested in escaping from the place rather than attacking any of them, and for that, the miniature pug was relieved; he wasn't sure how long he would last while protecting the frozen Shinobi. "Iruhi-chan, it's normal to feel fear, but you need to fight it! If it came towards you, I'm not sure I could've protected you." the pug said, with a rather concerned tone. Like a blur, Toshizou ran past the girl, his vermillion eyes looking at her and quickly analysing it; she was unharmed, so he didn't need to worry about her now; but they would talk later. Making his way towards the wolf, he spun in the air as he leaped, and with the white chakra coming from his blade, he slaughter the giant wolf in a single movement, and that wasn't even a technique, it was only his swordplay. As he landed on the ground, his clothing stained with the blood of his prey, he did a chiburi to remove the blood from his sword before putting it back in the scabbard. The treat to the miners was completely eliminated. He sighed deeply and turned on his heels, walking back towards where his younger daughter was. They definitely needed to talk. The blood and the cold look on his face was rather intimidating, and maybe she would understand why people calling him the Demon of the Fleeting Blossoms. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" C-Rank Mission Wolf eliminated [Hatake Shinde] [342 words]

[Hatake Shinde]

Death. She didn't seem to recognize the Pug much, that was as she witnessed her father go and slaughter the wolf with a single swing of his blade. Sending the rest away. She looked at it, and for a moment, she didn't understand what happened. It was all over in an instant. The young Iruhi looked towards Pakkun, and then to Toshizo. She could see now why they called him a blossom. It seemed bizarre at first, perhaps a nickname that didn't inspire fear, and to most, it still likely wouldn't. He killed someone or rather things as fast as a blossom might drop from a tree, in an elegant manner, as it wisped past you. Iruhi looked on, and she wondered if he was ashamed of her. However, she didn't understand something...That wolf.

It looked as if it was so ferocious, to protect its own. She felt as if she approached it, it would be invincible. As if it dared her to approach. To feel its wrath. Yet, for a man like Toshizo, he ended it in a single instant. Was that what the Will of Fire amounted to she wondered. That even the desire to protect, to serve the village, she too could be disposed of in a single instant? Iruhi wasn't a stranger to killing things. Her mother once gave her a bird to raise, and she was made to break its neck one day. She then practiced with fish, and other things. To have a value and appreciation of life, and to value death as well. This, this felt different. She didn't know if she was afraid of the wolf, or if she feared more what the death of that wolf represented for her.

It was something she wouldn't, that she couldn't forget. However, before long, she came to look upon her father, and she would step forth, bend down to both knees, and rest her head on the floor. "Forgive me Tou-San. I failed you. Gomenasai!" A grovel. She didn't justify why she froze up, or why she didn't attack. Only that she didn't.