The bells on the pack animals jingled across the empty Gobi, mingling with the creak of wheels rolling over sand and gravel. The caravan had left the area under Sunagakure's direct control and entered the desolate borderlands of the Land of Rivers.
The air was dry and scorching, and jagged, oddly shaped rocks and rolling sand dunes stretched as far as the eye could see.
Shira sat on the edge of a wagon, swaying slightly as it bumped along. He appeared to be resting with his eyes closed, but he was actually taking deep, long breaths in the rhythm of the Seven Heavens Breathing Method, feeling the subtle vitality that came from the oxygen filling his body. This was training he carried out at every moment.
His father drove the wagon up ahead, while his mother checked the cargo list beside him. The caravan was small, made up of six merchant families who knew one another well.
Two young Sunagakure Genin, the brothers Rani and Fūi, were in charge of guarding them.
Rani was a dark-skinned, cheerful young man who walked at the front of the group, keeping a wary eye on their surroundings. Fūi was quieter and followed at the rear, carrying a small, basic puppet wrapped in bandages on his back. Medical supplies and puppet strings were packed in a pouch at his waist.
"Hey, kid!" Rani called back to Shira with a grin, showing a row of white teeth.
"How is it? Nervous about your first trip away from home? Don't worry. With me and your big brother Fūi here, ordinary thieves won't dare start trouble!"
Shira opened his eyes and smiled. "With you and big brother Fūi here, I'm not nervous."
His words were half truth, half flattery. He knew that although the brothers were only Genin, they were fairly experienced veterans of this trade route.
From the rear, Fūi said quietly, "Don't let your guard down, Rani. Things haven't been peaceful around here lately. I've heard there are a few bands of raiders on the move."
"I know, I know!" Rani waved a hand dismissively, but he still became more alert.
Fūi's worries soon became reality, however.
As the caravan entered a narrow rocky canyon, a tremendous crash suddenly came from both ahead and behind!
Rumble! Crash!
Several enormous rocks had been deliberately pushed down from the cliffs on either side, completely blocking the caravan's path forward and back.
"Enemy attack! On guard!" Rani instantly drew a kunai and shouted. The caravan erupted in panic, and the startled pack animals brayed.
Seven or eight figures jumped down from behind the rocks and from the cliffs. All of them looked fierce and carried crude but sharp weapons. Their leader was a burly man with a scar across his face. His Chakra was clearly a level stronger than the others', and he seemed to be at Chunin level.
"Leave the goods and money, and we'll spare your lives!"
Scarface shouted with a vicious grin, sweeping his gaze over the caravan before it settled on Rani and Fūi's forehead protectors. "Hmph, two little Sunagakure Genin? Get lost if you know what's good for you!"
Rani's expression turned grim. "This is trouble. Fūi, protect the caravan!" he said in a low voice.
"Understood!" Fūi quickly formed hand seals, and the puppet on his back unfolded with a click, revealing its mechanical arms as it moved in front of the merchants. At the same time, he signaled for the merchants to gather behind the wagons.
Shira's parents immediately pulled him behind them, their faces pale as they struggled to stay calm.
"Cut the crap! Sunagakure has no ninja who run from a fight!" Rani shouted, his hands rapidly forming seals. "Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
A low but sturdy earthen wall instantly rose in the charging bandits' path, slowing them down for the moment.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!" Rani followed up by spewing out a powerful gust of wind, whipping sand and dust into the air to obscure their opponents' vision.
The bandits were clearly no pushovers either. Scarface in particular was extremely fast. He easily dodged the wind and sand and lunged straight at Rani with a vicious grin. "Kid, you've got some skill! But not enough!"
Meanwhile, the other bandits circled around the earthen wall and charged at the caravan from the flank.
"Damn it!" Fūi controlled his puppet, firing several poison needles from its mechanical arms and forcing two bandits back. But another had already closed in and swung a scimitar at a merchant!
At that critical moment,
A figure sprang out from behind a wagon like a leopard, moving far faster than anyone could imagine.
It was Shira!
He had been watching and calculating all along. Rani and Fūi were tied down at the front, and his parents and the merchants were in mortal danger! He could no longer hide his abilities!
"Seven Heavens Breathing Method: First Activation, open!!"