The wind was the first thing one learned to hate in the Lands of Wind.
It wasn't a gentle breeze. It was a coarse, grinding stream of sand and dust that wore down rock, spirit, and hope in equal measure.
It whistled through the skeletal timbers of the Kugutsu clan compound, a sound as dry as a bone and just as lifeless. Fortunately, the compound was built on top of a water source, one that would last for the next couple of centuries at the very least. Also known as blue gold, water was the foundation of the Kugutsu shinobi clan, known for its hidden art: puppeteering.
Takeshi, grandson of Elder Kenta, walked through this familiar abrasion without a flinch.
The grit settled on his dark, practical clothes and in his equally dark hair, but his mind was elsewhere, turning over the variables of his new assignment.
At fifteen, he was the youngest clansman in a century to construct his own combat puppet from scratch: a four-limbed humanoid marvel he called 'Jigoku.' That achievement had earned him not just praise, but a place in the famous Black Serpent Corps.
The clan was massive, with a couple hundred of shinobi. However, only three groups handled mercenary requests. The Black Serpent Corps was the strongest of them three, handling those with risks of shinobi skirmishes. In other words, it was the best place to learn combat.
The training ground was a circle of hard-packed earth. There, he could see stained dark in patches from oil, blood, and other, less identifiable fluids.
'Poison, most likely', he mused
The air smelled of faint, metallic tang of chakra-conductive wires.
This was his new stage.
Two figures were already waiting.
One, a young man who couldn't have been more than twenty, stood with the weary posture of a veteran.
His arms were crossed over a light plated vest, and his eyes, sharp and assessing, tracked Takeshi's approach without a hint of welcome.
This was Captain Ito.
The other was a kunoichi, fussing over a complex-looking puppet that resembled a giant, segmented centipede.
She had a nervous energy, her fingers fluttering over joints and hinges, checking and re-checking what was already perfectly aligned.
Her name was Rin, and Takeshi had already done his homework.
Takeshi had grown up in the compound. Captain Ito was a famous name. Although they only rarely met, his grandfather Elder Kanta had mentioned him quite a few times, giving praises. Takeshi knew that praises from someone who rarely gave them were worth double.
"So, you're finally here. Takeshi" Ito said. His voice was flat, stripped of all pleasantry by the desert wind, "You have passed the Black Serpent test, and you were even recommended by Elder Kanta. I hope you will live up to your reputation"
Takeshi offered a slight, practiced smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Captain Ito. I've heard of your… reputation."
It was a carefully chosen word. It could mean fame, or it could mean notoriety. Let Ito decide.
The kunoichi, Rin, looked up.
A flash of something crossed her face.
"The Elder's grandson", she said, her voice a bit too quick, "The one who built his own puppet at fifteen. It's… it's an honor"
There it was. The opening. Takeshi let his gaze linger on her, noting the slight tremble in her hand as she wiped it on her thigh. He could see the insecurity clinging to her like a shadow. It was unfitting of a kunoichi, but the fact that she worked under Captain Ito showed she had some skills.
"The Black Serpent Corps handle the most dangerous missions", Takeshi said, his tone deceptively soft. A dismissive wave of his hand, "I am the one honoured to learn under you, senior Rin"
The effect was immediate. Her eyes dropped to the ground, a faint blush creeping up her neck.
Pleasure at him knowing her name, surprised by his character.
Ito watched the exchange, his expression unchanging.
"Save the flattery for the clients", he grunted, cutting through the tension like a knife. Takeshi noted that despite being a puppeteer, Captain Ito had two swords hanging on his waist, proof that he mastered more than the clan's hidden arts.
"This is the Black Serpent Corps. There are 16 units within it. Most work in groups of two, but some prefer to work alone. We're not heroes; we're mercenaries. The clan's dirty work is our trade"
He gestured to the stark, brutal training ground.
"This is your office. Your work will be assassination, sabotage, and deniable strikes. The kind of missions the main family doesn't want staining their scrolls."
Takeshi's smile became genuine for a fraction of a second.
"Dirty work means good money. And deniable assets often have the most… freedom. I'm exactly where I want to be"
As someone from the second family branch, Takeshi could have lived a life free of blood and sweat. He could have 'managed', or better still, induced in diplomacy with other clans and nobles from the land of wind. However, this never quite fit his character. He could feel a deep desire to become stronger.
There had to be more than the Kugutsu clan.
As the words left his mouth, something shifted in his perception.
The world before him glitched, a transparent, shimmering panel of light flickering into existence just at the edge of his vision.
It was stark, utilitarian, and utterly alien.
Something he had never seen until now.
[Proficiency Panel Activated]
[Name: Takeshi Kugutsu | Lv. 18 Shinobi (D) (520 / 800 EXP)
Attributes:
Strength: D (45%) | Agility: D (60%) | Vitality: D (65%) | Intelligence: B (75%)
Chakra Control: C (70%) | Chakra Reserve: D (65%) | Sensing: D (50%)
Skills:
Hidden art: Kugutsutsukai - Puppeteering [C] (84%)
General: Poison theory [D] (55%), trap setup [D] (40%), puppet manufacturing [D] (86%)
Ninjutsu: Lightning Rat Violent Quake [C] (12%), Thunder Spider Web [C] (8%), Lightning Ball [D] (6%), Thunder Clone [D] (12%)
Taijutsu: Kugutsu Fist Art [E] (70%)
Puppet: Jigoku (D)]
A cold, electric thrill shot down Takeshi's spine, so intense he had to fight to keep his composure.
What was this? A bloodline limit? He had heard that some clans possessed strange abilities. But most often, they were related to ninjutsu.
His heart hammered against his ribs, but his face remained a placid mask.
He focused on the panel.
His existence, quantified. His strengths, clear as the sky. His weaknesses, reduced to smaller numbers and grades.
Without betraying an expression, he assessed the two clan members of the Black Serpent Corps.
[Captain Ito Kugutsu - Lv. 32 Shinobi (B)]
'As expected, Captain Ito is one of the strongest shinobi in the clan. No wonder he became the captain of the Black Serpent Corps...', Takeshi analysed
[Rin Kugutsu - Lv. 14 Shinobi (D)]
Rin was more disappointing. Although she was four years older, she had a pitiful Lv. 14 assessment. However, as mysterious as the proficiency panel was, it did not give away much information. And Takeshi knew better than to trust this information blindly. It required analysis, testing, and trials. Just like he always did. Everything was mechanical.
"Your first mission is in three days," Ito continued, oblivious to the revolution happening inside his new recruit.
"A simple reconnaissance patrol near the Kugutsu territory's border. Intel suggests a minor scouting party from a rival clan is getting too curious. We observe, report, and disengage. Unless they force our hand"
He looked from Rin to Takeshi. "Rin will be your partner. Your puppets should complement each other. Her 'Mukade' provides area control. Your… what's it called?"
"Jigoku", Takeshi said, the name rolling off his tongue with newfound satisfaction.
"Jigoku", Ito repeated, "Elder Kenta gave me your information. It is a decent vanguard. You two will learn to work together, and then depart. Understood?"
"Yes, Captain", Rin said, snapping to a semblance of attention.
"Understood", Takeshi echoed, his voice calm.
[Mission - Reconaissance Patrol (D)
Captain Ito has approved of your skills and welcomed you to the Black Serpent Corps. After pairing you with a more experienced recruit, Rin Kugutsu, he assigned you to a reconaissance mission to investigate the Hebikaze clan borders, a clan which has been gaining influence on the East.
Progress: 0%
Rewards: 400 EXP, 10 000 Ryô]
Ito gave a curt nod. Takeshi, however, widened his eyes.
Missions, EXP, Money...It seemed like this ability allowed him to gain more information about the world and events, and it could even make him stronger.
"Good. Rin, walk him through the standard patrol signals. I have to file the paperwork for our new… asset"
With that, the captain turned and walked away, leaving them alone in the swirling dust.
An awkward silence descended. Rin fidgeted, clearly unsure how to talk to the prodigy who had just subtly put her in her place.
Takeshi ignored her for a moment, looking out at the barren training ground. Inside, his mind was racing.
This panel… this 'Proficiency Panel'… it responded to proficiency.
To success.
He could use this.
He could use her to test the limits of his ability.