Blood Moon Night

Mission Name: Toll of the Road
Mission Type: Combat
Mission Rank: B
Mission Goal: Eliminate the man charging people to travel to Iwa
Description: Reports of a man claiming to be an Iwagakure Shinobi has been forcing people to pay him to walk the roads to Iwa, find this man and see that this does not happen again whether by persuasion or force.
Payment: 25k Ryo
Requirements: C-Class

---

The sun was already setting in the distance when Masaru finally departed from the Monastery, the full moon already taking its spot in the sky reflecting the light of the setting sun giving the moon a red hue similar to blood. Though the fire had been put out, the sky above the monastery would still held the thick pillars of smoke caused by it for several more hours. The damage to the monastery despite the fire was mostly cosmetic, luckily the monks do not have desire for worldly possessions. Their only goal for the past several years had been the safe guarding of the treasured tools of the sage, though now that those artifacts were in the possession of Masaru the monks no longer had a purpose. However they could still prove useful in the coming days, and with a little convincing Masaru was able to convince them to continue. He made a mental note to send some more supplies and whatever else it would take in order to restore the monastery, it would take time and money that he did not have but it would be worth it. The monastery has existed since before the village hidden in the Stone and Masaru was not going to let it fall apart merely days after his term as Sandaime Tsuchikage began. With the monastery now behind him and the blood moon lighting the road, Masaru would make his way back towards the village. Though in no rush as he wished to take in the sight of his land, as well as have a few moments to himself. The man knew as soon as he returned to the village it would be back to business, and while he didn't mind the work and dedication it took to run the village. Masaru still enjoyed the small things, like the sight of the mountains in the red glow of the moon.

Lost. Chen Kimyōnakama was totally lost. He had no idea where he was or where he was going. He had intended to visit the Chang Monastery but somewhere along the way he had taken a wrong turn and was now wandering the mountainside. He figured he could always retrace his steps, but part of him was stubborn. He'd find his way to the Monastery eventually. The young man squinted as he saw a regal clad gentleman walking towards him. He stopped his tracks. Chen was immediately suspicious of this man and his intentions. He removed his hands from his pockets to show that he was unarmed and he expected this stranger to do the same.

He didn't move a muscle. He only stared.

The red light of the blood moon would light the man's path as he left the monastery, the night was quiet and the breeze from the north swept cool air over the mountain range sending a chill down the man's spine. Masaru would be surprised when the young male came into his view, he had not even heard the boy until he was almost right in front of him. Maybe he had been distracted by his thoughts of what had happened at the monastery, or maybe he was just daydream as he strolled the path back to his home. The boy was not moving, his hands open showing himself to be unarmed. Masaru would lift his empty hands up before pointing down to the sword that hung from his hip, "My Name is Masaru Tatsudashi, Sandaime Tsuchikage. I mean you no harm child, tell me what is it you are doing out here all alone?"

The man was armed. He gestured to a sword that was strapped on his hip. Chen visibly tensed but remained silent. The individual identified himself as Masaru Tatsudashi, the Sandaime Tsuchikage. If Chen weren't in such a disadvantageous position he'd have scoffed. To the best of his knowledge, Iwagakure was a total hell hole. It was worse than Suna was and yet here this guy was stating that he was the Kage. If he was the Kage of Iwa then he had to have been the worst Kage in all of shinobi history. The man's village was in disarray and he was taking a leisurely stroll through the mountains. Chen suppressed a smirk. It was just his luck they had crossed paths with the weakest Kage in the world. Unfortunately, the weakest Kage in the world was still strong enough to crush him like an ant and so he was careful not to display anything that can be construed as mockery.

He stated that he meant Chen no harm but that didn't mean Chen believed him. Many people said that and then proceeded to harm you anyways. He answered the question without moving or relaxing.

"My name is Chen Kimyōnakama. I wanted to visit the Chang Monastery....I have some business there and they are expecting me"

If this man was who he claimed he was then he wouldn't bother Chen if Chen said he was on his way to see the monks. If they were expecting him then that meant his disappearance would be noted. It was of course a lie, but it was a lie that might very well save his life.

The boy would introduce himself, through the name meant nothing to the man. It was not a name he recognized, neither the family name nor the given name. Though the name wasn't as important as where the boy said he was headed, "Ah yes the Monastery I just left there, Terrible thing that happened to them." Masaru stated without even realizing how maniacal that sounded, as if he had just don't something to them or something. So he felt he needed to explain a little better, "You see I had gone there to inform them of my recent appointment as the Tsuchikage, and they came under attack. Some people have no respect for Sacred structures, we fended them off but the monastery sustained some damage from the attack. I am sure they would love some help in the rebuilding, don't let me keep you. If the monks are expecting you, you should not leave them waiting." Masaru would step to the side so that the boy could walk past him, though the man wondered what kind of business a child could have at the monastery he would not ask. Perhaps he was going there to attempt to be a monk or something whatever the reason it was of no concern to the man, he had his own things that needed to be dealt with. "I would help myself but I must get back to the village, so much construction that needs to get done and years of neglect from it's former leaders to take care of, not to mention the elimination of the criminals that believe they rule this land." Masaru would wait, stepped on the outside of the path for the boy to pass, if he chose to. However Masaru would remain still for a response or movement from the boy, to ensure that the boy did not feel threaten by him.

Chen listened as Masaru explained that the Monastery had been destroyed. He considered that this stranger might be lying but then he remembered that he had seen smoke on the horizon. There was definitely something going on in that direction and though his natural suspicions rested on the self-proclaimed Tsuchikage, he was in no position to prove it. When Masaru offered him safe passage though, Chen's uncertainty about the man lessened. If he was going to just let Chen go to the ruined Monastery then Chen could only assume that he didn't plan on accosting him.

It also meant he probably wasn't lying about his title either. He looked the part but the idea of Iwagakure actually having a sensible leader was silly to him. Wasn't the last Tsuchikage a homosexual? And the one before him a mad man? The village didn't have good luck with leaders although with this stranger perhaps it finally on the right track. He was very aware of the village's precarious state and the fact that he wanted to get back to assisting it was admirable. Chen found himself reluctantly nodding.

"I see...I better go help then..." Chen said. He had lied and could not so easily go back on his misdirection. "Good luck with rebuilding Iwa" the haunted child replied before starting up the path. Chen walked a few paces before stopping. Was that man truly the Tsuchikage. He turned around and called out to Masaru before the man had left.

"Are you really the Tsuchikage?" Chen asked.

There was something about Masaru that seemed real. More real than the shadowy bastards that ran Sunagakure. He had picked Suna as his home village because it was accepting of outsiders. Unfortunately, despite the thin veneer of order there was chaos and disorganization at every turn. He had run into so many roadblocks that his growth had not only been impeded but retarded. He had left Suna to see if there was anything in Earth Country that was worth studying. The Chang Monastery was an okay starting place but as he drew closer to it, he had decided that the last thing he wanted was to be surrounded by old men. When he learned that someone had burnt down the establishment, his mind immediately assumed the worst. The arsonist might have had a better reason than most understood. Reasons that Chen could sympathize with.

This stranger had proclaimed himself Tsuchikage and Chen had no reason to believe he was telling the truth. Yet somehow he sensed more authenticity anf sincerity from him than any other high ranking member of Suna. Chen decided to test whether his feelings were real or not.

Masaru could see the hesitation in the boy as he nodded and stated that should go help with the rebuilding of the monastery, even when the boy wished Masaru luck with Iwa the man felt as if the boy was torn on the inside. The boy would pass by Masaru before the man would move back into the path, he worried about someone so young wandering alone. However, it was not his place to interfere with the boy's journey. Masaru had only taken a few steps from where he had let the boy pass when he heard the boy ask if he really was the Tsuchikage, Masaru would turn and smile at the boy. "I am, though it is a recently new appointment that I have taken upon myself. Just a few days or so in fact, so not many know about it or my work to bring stability back to this land. That of course will soon change, but it is going to take time. Years of terrible leadership both from its own people and those of the foreigners, will not be swept away in a single night. However, I will kill every last criminal not only Iwagakure but all of Tsuchi no Kuni myself if I have to, and I will send a message to the rest of the world that The land of Earth will not be walked all over again. I will create the true empire that the land of Earth was meant to be." the man's voice trailed off a little at this point as he envisioned his goal coming to fruition. The man looked up to the blood moon high in the sky, it was odd that it was still red despite the fact that the sun had already set, some would say it was a sign but Masaru wasn't the superstitious type. Masaru knew the boy was simply asking if he was the Tsuchikage and not his whole story, however at the same time he looked at this boy as a way to help him spread the word. In fact, he had been telling the same thing to every person he came into contact with since his claim became official in the eyes of the village elders. The more people that knew the faster the word would spread, it will start getting the attention of those with power. Some will seek to stop him and he would deal with those as they appeared, but others may seek to join him. Though this Chen was a mere boy, under the right tutelage, he could be a powerful warrior. Masaru would think back to the boy's hesitation moments earlier, "Can I ask you, why are you going to the monastery?"

Not content with just answering in the affirmative, Chen listened without emotion as Masaru gave a passionate speech about what he intended to do as Tsuchikage. The man was clearly on a mission and though he wasn't a Spymaster, he judged the man to be every bit as sincere and authentic as he suspected. Sincereity and authenticity only got you so far though. He had only taken on the position for a few days which meant the country nor the world truly acknowledged his claim as of yet. He might have the best intentions but if he did not have the power and grit to see it through then his intentions would be just that: intentions. Chen nodded at the satisfactory response and turned to go when Masaru asked him why he was heading to the Monastery.

Chen's heart froze as he thought up a lie. In the instant the thought formed, he found his mouth speaking kernels of truth.

"My old home isn't really my home. Just somewhere I thought I could grow to become strong. Somewhere I could become so strong that no one would ever dare hurt me. I was wrong. Its a terrible place, not as bad as other places I've been...but its bad. I doubt I'll be going back so the Monastery is really my only shot"

Chen wasn't sure why he was telling Masaru all this. It would have been a simple matter to just say he wanted to study the tenets of Buddhism under tutelage of the legendary Chang Monks. Yet, there was something about honesty that begat honesty. He didn't mention Suna or any of the details surrounding his arrival in this dimension. There were some secrets that were too dangerous to loose, but he felt as though little harm could come from telling him his general reason for being in the Earth Country.

Hearing that the boy had been in a bad place broke Masaru's heart, children in such situations was a terrible thing. The fact that the boy felt it was his only option, told masaru enough. "There is another option." Masaru would state calmly looking at the boy, "that is if you are willing." Masaru would wait to see if the mysterious option that he offered was enough to interest the boy, if it did then the man would continue with his offer. "You may come to Iwagakure with me, I will hold you to no requirement save that you respect my laws and abide by them. Iwagakure has an extensive library as well as a decent training grounds, that would be open for you to hone your skills. You would be given your own residence, and you will be free to leave whenever you wish. While you would be under no obligation, if you wanted to earn some money for yourself, there is plenty of work around the village to be done. The walls that surround Iwagakure would offer you more protection than that of the monastery in it's current state, besides I could use the company on the road back to the village." Given the boy being skeptical of the man this far he doubted such an offer would appeal to the boy, still he had to make the offer. If the boy did accept the offer, then it would give the man the time he needed to show the boy that he could help him reach his goal of becoming stronger. Masaru still couldn't shake the feeling he had when he first saw the boy, underneath this shell was a power he had never felt and it made the man want to know more about the boy and what he was capable of.

Chen tilted his head in uncertainty when Masraru offered another path. The dark haired genin narrowed his eyes as the Tsuchikage offered him refuge in Iwagakure. He was shocked. Why would the Tsuchikage invite a young lost boy back to a ruined village? He had known nothing but betrayal and misery at the hands of people who offered things to him. He had learned to accept help only because he needed it and when he did, he made sure to take it with as much distance as he could between him and his benefactor. The idea of accompanying a stranger back to Iwa turned his stomach. He almost turned to leave but something stopped him.

Was it his Father? Was he telling him to take the man up on his offer? Or was it Chen's own gut feeling about the Tsuchikage? Something that told him he could rely on the man's promise of safety and security. He had given Suna a chance so why not Iwa? For the first time in a long while, Chen cast aside his suspicions and decided to accept Masaru's alternative. After all, he wasn't really going to spend time helping the monks of the Chang Monastery. He wasn't aware of anything else going on in the country and returning to Suna so soon would leave a bad taste in his mouth. If he decided he didn't like Iwa then he'd just escape and reveal its secrets to Suna for some kind of reward. If this man had nefarious intentions then Chen was already a goner so walking with him probably wouldn't put him in any greater danger.

"...."

Chen said nothing for awhile, he only stared.

"Okay....but if I decide to stay. You have to agree to train me. The people I was with originally weren't worth a damn. Most of them anyways. I need a teacher that doesn't suck"

Masaru waited as the boy just stood there and stare at him for a few moments, and was pleasantly surprised to hear the boy's reply to his offer being a yes, "Come walk with me." Masaru said with a smile motioning for the boy to follow him, "we have a few hours of travel ahead of us." Once Chen was closer to him, assuming he got closer, Masaru would fold his hands behind his back and begin walking the path towards the village hidden in the Stone. "I will be willing to take you on as my pupil, however before you decide that is what you truly want there are some things that you will need to understand. The first of which is that I am a disciplined individual and have a strict regime that I follow in my training, as my pupil I will expect the same from you. We will train together, however I do not plan to slow my own training for you. You will have to keep up or you will be left behind, as I have no time for slackers. The second is that while Iwa currently has a criminal problem, it has its laws and you will follow them as well as help to ensure others do as well. I expect you to be respectful when speaking to me or any of my subordinates, respect earns respect and so long as you respect me and my laws I will respect you. Third and most importantly is that my daughter is off limits. So long as you agree to these terms, I will be your Sensei." Masaru would not stop walking while he spoke nor did he even look towards the boy as he spoke, his eyes facing ahead as he walked the path. The boy could have walked away while he was talking and the man wouldn't of even noticed, but now he would stop and turn towards Chen, if he was still there. "You don't have to answer now, as I said you are welcome to stay in Iwa as long as you wish. However, this is simply something that you need to consider if you wish for me to be your Sensei."

Chen accepted Masaru's invitation to walk with him and started down the stony path. He kept a bit of distance between himself and the stranger but he held his head high and walked into tandem with the Tsuchikage. Masaru went on to explaining his conditions for taking on Chen as a student and the boy listened as he set the boundaries and expectations between them.

Work Hard. He'd be training with Chen and in his training he'd be developing his own skills. That meant there was little room for weakness or error. He'd force Chen to keep up and if the other-worlder proved incapable then he'd cut him loose. The statement raised Chen's esteem of the man considerably. Masaru was a hard but fair man, that's something he could deal with. When people were too nice, lax, and supplicating Chen found them to either have nefarious intentions or spinelessness. The result would either destroy him or that person. Masaru wasn't that sort of sensei and so that boded well for their future together. He nodded in agreement.

Law and Order. Masaru was quite frank about Iwa's pervasive issue with criminality. Sunagakure had suffered much the same fate and although there was some semblance of order, the reality was that lunatics were running the asylum. It disgusted Chen but he had learned to tolerate it. It appeared as though Masaru had a different outlook on the subject. It was an outlook that Chen found more suitable to his own personality. Those who broke the law and disrespected Masaru's (and perhaps by extension his) rules would be punished severely. The thought caused the raven haired  child to smile. Chen could come to respect this Tsuchikage and in return he'd receive respect. It was a fair deal. He nodded in agreement.

Stay away from his daughter. This condition caught Chen by surprise. It told him that Masaru had a family which went a long way towards assuaging his suspicions. A man with a family is a man with some kind of vested interest stake in stability and fairness. He had never met MAsaru's daughter and judging by his tone, he wouldn't be given the opportunity. Chen was just a boy and knew little of the ways of men. He understood the theory, but the practice was a mystery. He did have desires but he had little clue on how to fulfill them. The Tsuchikage was better off not even mentioning her as now Chen's curiosity was piqued. How fitting would it be if he were to take the Tsuchikage's daughter as his bride. Forbidden fruit was a powerful psychological motivator. Notably, Chen did not nod in agreement at this condition.

Instead, he simply said:

"I understand....Sir"

He did not use the word "Sensei" as that was a bit premature. He'd see how things went in Iwa and if Masaru was truly the person he held himself out to be then and only then would Chen call him Sensei. He'd still use the phrase "Sir" to indicate respect and deference. This man was the lead ninja in this relationship and he had demonstrated that he was trustworthy, hardened, and ruthless. All traits that Chen would have wanted in a sensei.

The boy would say he understood and even address the man with respect by calling him Sir, but only time would tell if he truly understood. Masaru stare into the boy's eyes for a moment without saying a word, before he started walking once more. There would be time for him to judge the boy's character later, for now there was a more pressing matter. "I would like to see what you are capable of, up ahead of us is a man. I have received reports that this man is claiming to be a shinobi of Iwagakure, and has been demanding tolls in order for people to travel to my village. Considering I have given no such order of my men, I can only assume that this man is a criminal impersonating one of my Shinobi and is preying upon my people. Both crimes of which is punishable by death." Masaru had his eye on the man from the moment him and Chen had stopped to talk little could escape his sight, but it was one of the reasons he had stopped to ensure that the boy knew what it was he  was asking for. Now he would stop walking once more and turn to the boy approximately half a kilometer away from where the man had set up his would be toll booth. "If you think you have what it takes to keep up with me during my training, then this low life will be a cake walk for you. We will approach together, however when he stops us and demands a toll I would like you to handle it." Masaru would not wait for an answer from the boy, resuming walking immediately after he finished speaking. If the boy had the potential that Masaru believed he did, then the boy should not have any trouble with the man. However, if Masaru was wrong, then he would more than likely have to interfere to save the boy's life.

Chen returned Masaru's stare, not with defiance but confidence. He was young and untrained but there was an maturity and determination in his countenance. Masaru went on to explain that he was now going to test Chen. They were going on an impromptu mission to execute a highwayman that was masquerading as an Iwa ninja.

Law and order indeed... Chen thought.

The boy did not smirk or grin when Masaru mentioned that the crime was punishable by death. He did raise his head a quarter of an inch as if to indicate that he was the man for such a dirty and brutal job. Masaru shared his vision and he tasked Chen with dealing with the lowlife. The possessor of the Human Path had no qualms about killing others. It came as natural to him as breathing. He nodded as he assented to the man's plan.

Once they arrived at the toll extractor's booth, Chen would be sure to take proper control of the situation.

Masaru would not speak again, however as the pair drew nearer to the toll booth masaru would form a quick string of handseals before touching the hilt of Devorakos that hung from his hip. The blade and it's sheath would instantly disappear, sealed within the tattoo on the man's palm. It would be better for them to not have a weapon out in the open when they approached, after all Masaru wanted the appearance of just wayward travels on the road to Iwagakure. It was the best scenario in which Masaru would be able to judge it the man is truly guilty of what it is the people have accused him of. His face was not a face that was know, even if he was the Kage. No one outside the Iwagakure council had actually seen his face, so they shouldn't have to worry about the man realizing who masaru was and not stop them in an attempt to appear innocent.

As the drew ever close Masaru could see the man begin to fidget as he noticed the pairs approach, it was clear he was going to stop them. Masaru wondered how the boy planned to handle this man, however he wasn't given much time to imagine. Once they were 10 meters away from the man, he would hold up his hand and call out to them. "Stop right there, this is a toll road by order of the Tsuchikage. You will need to pay five thousand Ryo if you wish to continue to Iwagakure." Masaru would scoff at the man's words, having to stop himself from ending the man's life himself when he claimed to be doing this by his order. This was for Chen to handle, Masaru would look to the boy when the man had finished speaking. He said no words, he simply gave the boy a look that said take care of this trash and make me proud.

Chen noticed out of the corner of his eyes that Masaru had used Fuuinjutsu to his weapon. It was a smart play. The false tollman might restrain himself if they were armed. If they came across as non-shinobi then there was a likely chance they'd catch him in the act. Eventually, they'd find the man and just as predicted he'd demand a sum of money from them. Masaru said nothing and only looked to Chen to resolve the situation.

Resolve it he would.

The young man stepped forward and faced the wannabe brigand. It was eerie how calm he was despite his age. The man's fate was sealed the moment he ordered them to pay but Chen was mildly curious as to how prepared he was.

"Five thousand Ryo? That seems like a bit much. Do you have any documentation supporting this order"

The goth's tone of voice and his unwavering stance seemed to indicate that he wasn't an ordinary boy. Then again, he and his companion were clearly unarmed. How would the tollman respond to such insolence.

Masaru would watch in amusement as the boy stepped forward and address the highwayman, calling the man on his bluff of this being a sanctioned operation. Chen had confidence that was something that stood out the most to Masaru when he heard the boy address the bandit, an eerie calm about him as he stood in front of the man.

The highwayman, however didn't seem to find it as funny. "Do you think this is some kind of joke, hand over the Ryo or you'll pay the price in other ways." The angry in the man was obvious, no one had ever questioned his station or asked for documentation. He was looking past the boy, at the fine clothes of man behind the boy. It was obvious the pair had money just by the way he was dress, so why was the boy giving him lip about a couple thousand. "Are you deaf? Give me the Ryo now!" The highwayman demanded taking a few steps forward, however he was looking past the boy and addressing the male that stood behind him, as he spoke a blade would slide out of the highwayman's sleeve and into his left hand. The highwayman would get closer to Chen, as soon as the boy was in his arm reach he would grab the boy by the scruff of his collar and attempt to pull him in as a hostage with the knife to the boy's throat. If successful he would look to Masaru, "give me the Ryo,our your kid gets it old man."

Chen's mental state went from mild amusement to DANGER ZONE the moment the brigand spoke his first sentence. He had refused to show documentation, not that it really mattered. His fate was sealed the second he had asked them for money, but perhaps if he had been thorough enough to forge documents, Chen could justify dispatching him quickly and painlessly.

Not anymore.

He asked if Chen was deaf and demanded the money again. The boy did not reply. He didn't even flinch when the highwayman produced a blade and attempted to grab him. He deftly took a step back avoiding the grab. He formed three seals and conjured a fireball in each hand. He flung each into the man's chest cavity causing him to burst into flames. The flames would quickly consume his clothes, likely roasting him alive if he did not have a method of extinguishing them. As Chen acted, Masaru would probably notice how cold the child was. How in each movement he betrayed an utter disregard for the man's life or well-being. As the flames grew in size and scope, Chen took a few steps back and made another set of handseals in preparation. He didn't look back at the Tsuchikage for approval. He kept his eye on the prize.



Learned: Exploding Flame Shot 213/150 [C-Rank Canon Jutsu]

Masaru watched as Chen made quick work at dispatching the highwayman, the man would quickly burst into flames from the boys jutsu and his screams would fall upon deaf ears. Masaru cared not for the life of a lowly bandit, and while the boy may still be young he showed the spirit of a fighter. Unflinching in his resolve as he set the man ablaze, the fact that he used fire jutsu showed masaru that he would be able to teach the boy. Masaru would smile pleasantly, he was proud of how his future pupil handled the man. Whether Chen was ready to admit it yet or not, Masaru had already made his mind up about becoming the boy's Sensei. There was something that Masaru couldn't explain, but he could feel a power within the boy and one day he would make a power shinobi. Masaru saw Chen form another string of handseals, but he did not wait for him to perform the technique. "Let's continue," Masaru say just barely over the screams of the man as his flesh melted, folding his arms behind his back and walked by the burning man, showing no pity for him. Masaru assumed the boy would finish the man off with his jutsu and then follow him. Masaru said no words of congratulations or telling the boy what a good job he had done, that was not his style. The boy had merely done what he was told, those that sought acknowledgement for doing what they're told were a waste of time. As he had already explained to the boy, he did not plan to wait or slow himself down for him and he had a feeling the boy would not fall behind. Once they were in Iwa he would give the boy his space, until Chen was ready. Then the true test of the boys ability would begin, and that was the day the masaru would be waiting for.

{Exit to Iwa Southern Gate}

Chen completed the handseals and then palmed the ground. In doing so, he activated the Tearing Earth Turning Palm Technique. The ground beneath the bandit split open and he was quickly swallowed alive by the Earth. It was a rapid and impromptu burial. There'd be no gravestone. No flowers. No thoughts nor prayers. He would die like a common animal and the only reason he was buried was because Chen had no desire to sully the roads of a reborn nation with bandit corpses. If the burn injuries didn't kill the man then being buried alive certainly would. Chen stood up straight and stared at the spot for a few moments. He needed to be certain that the bandit did not have a means of escaping, although given how he had reacted to the fire he probably didn't possess any magical abilities. Once he was sure that the highwayman would not be coming back up for air, Chen ran to Masaru's side.

He fell in lockstep with the man's pace. Chen appreciated that Masaru did not lavish him with praise or congratulations. It was fairly simple work and to be thanked for it would be more of an insult than a laudation. He was enjoying this line of work. Suna was so filled with criminals, he had learned to tolerate their presence but in this land they were hated and brought low. He liked burning them. It made him feel powerful and right. He'd still need to see more of Iwa before he made his decision but so far he could see himself learning under this Tsuchikage.

Exit to Iwa, following Masaru.

Learned: Tearing Earth Turning Palm Technique 272/150 [C-Rank Canon Jutsu]