Liri, Kusagakure, at a certain training ground.
Following the training ground marked on the map, Lin Chuan arrived wearing a face mask and found two people there: the Chunin captain leading the team, the fat man who would become the Preta Path, and Kazami, who sported a pompadour.
"Yo, morning, Amu." Seeing the masked Lin Chuan approach, Kazami called out his unlucky teammate's name, unaware that he had been replaced. After all, they had only met once and barely knew each other.
"Ahem, morning." Lin Chuan raised a hand to his mouth and replied awkwardly. This was his first time working undercover, and he had little experience. He was already prepared to strike if his cover was blown. Amu, the name Kazami had called him, was the nickname of the unlucky fellow he had replaced.
"Amu, what happened to your voice?" Kazami sensed something was off. Amu's voice did not sound as clear as it had a couple of days ago.
"Caught a cold. Cough, cough." Lin Chuan put his hand to his mouth again and coughed lightly twice, making his voice even raspier.
"You catch colds easily when you mess around with Water Release. Better be careful," Kazami said, concerned for the teammate he had just met. They could not take missions if they were short a member.
"It's nothing. Just a sore throat." Lin Chuan continued covering his mouth and coughing. His mask conveniently served as a way to prevent spreading the cold, saving him the trouble of explaining why he had suddenly started wearing one.
"Everyone's here, huh?" The massively fat Bulemi arrived with heavy steps. Just getting there had left his forehead drenched in sweat, which kept dripping from his body onto the ground.
This guy... At the sight of him, Lin Chuan instinctively tightened his