Chapter 14: The Bandit King and the Art of the Drunken Stumble part-1
My heart stopped. "A C-Rank? But... those involve bandits. And travel. And sleeping outside."
"Exactly!" Kiba punched the air. "Finally, some real action! No more cats!"
Kurenai Sensei arrived a moment later, handing us a scroll. "Kiba is correct. We are escorting a merchant wagon to a neighboring town. The route is known for bandit activity. It is a simple suppression and escort mission."
She looked at me with a soft smile. "Do not worry, Hinata. We are a team. We will cover you."
(Cover me? You mean hide me? Can I be luggage? I would make excellent luggage.)
We met the merchant, a nervous man named Mr. Goro who pulled a cart full of silk. We set off down the main road, leaving the safety of Konoha behind.
............….
The first few hours were uneventful, which naturally made me paranoid. The System was too quiet. It was planning something.
I walked beside the cart, keeping a safe distance from Kiba (to avoid holding hands) and Shino (to avoid squashing bugs).
"So, Hinata," Kiba said, breaking the silence. "I saw you kicking Neji yesterday. I didn't know you had moves like that. You got him right in the quad!"
I blushed furiously. "It... it was an accident."
"An accident?" Shino interjected. "The trajectory was precise. The force was sufficient to destabilize his stance. If that was accidental, your subconscious is a highly lethal combatant."
(If only you knew, Shino. My subconscious is just trying to survive.)
Suddenly, the cart hit a rut in the road. Mr. Goro yelped as the wheel bounced.
"Whoa!"
The cart tilted. A bolt of silk rolled off the top.
"I got it!" I cried, instinctively rushing forward to catch the expensive fabric.
I stepped on a loose stone. My untied sandal strap decided this was its moment to shine. It wrapped around my other ankle.
[System Alert: Combat Roll Initiated. Skill "Accidental Counter-Attack" is passive and ready.]
I did not catch the silk. Instead, I performed a spectacular, unintentional cartwheel.
My legs spun in the air.
"Hinata, watch out!" Kiba yelled.
He stepped in to catch me.
My right leg, fueled by the momentum of the fall and the System's chaotic guidance, swung around in a wide arc.
Whack.
My heel connected with the side of Kiba's head.
"Gah!"
Kiba spun like a top and crashed into the bushes.
I landed in a perfect split on the ground, the bolt of silk landing gently in my lap.
"..."
Kurenai stopped walking. Mr. Goro stared. Shino adjusted his glasses.
"Kiba!" I shrieked, scrambling up. "Are you okay?"
Kiba crawled out of the bush, rubbing his ear. "Ow... seriously, Hinata? You have got to stop doing that! You kick like a mule!"
[Ding!]
[Friendly Fire Bonus. You have successfully stunned a teammate. Combat Rating: Surprisingly effective.]
[Reward: 200 Shy Points.]
"I am so sorry!" I wailed.
Kurenai looked at me thoughtfully. "Your reflexes are... unconventional, Hinata. But effective. Let's try to aim them at the enemy next time."
................
We camped that night in a small clearing. Kiba and Shino took the first watch. I was told to sleep, but sleep was impossible when you were terrified of rolling over and accidentally destroying the campfire.
The next day, we entered the danger zone. The forest grew denser. The shadows grew longer.
"Ambush!" Kurenai shouted suddenly.
From the trees, a dozen men dropped down. They were rough-looking bandits with scars, eye patches, and rusty swords.
"Hand over the silk and the girl!" the leader roared. He was a giant of a man with a beard that looked like a bird's nest.
"Protect the merchant!" Kurenai ordered, disappearing into a cloud of petals (her Genjutsu).
Kiba and Akamaru leaped into action. "Fang Over Fang!" They became a whirlwind of drilling attacks.
Shino sent a wave of bugs to devour the chakra of three bandits on the left.
That left two bandits. And they were looking right at me.
"Heh," one bandit sneered, licking his lips. "Look at this one. She is shaking like a leaf. This will be easy."
(Oh no. Oh no. They are coming. Do something, Hinata. Gentle Fist!)
I assumed the stance. "Stay... stay back!"
The bandit lunged with a knife.
"Die!" he screamed.
I tried to step to the side to deflect his attack. However, the ground was uneven. My foot slipped on a patch of moss.
[System Alert: Evasion Failed. Initiating "Clumsy Counter" Protocol.]
I fell backward.
The bandit's knife stabbed the air where my chest had been a second ago.
As I fell onto my back, my legs flew up into the air in a panic.
Bonk.
My foot caught the bandit directly under the chin. It was a perfect uppercut kick, delivered solely because I was flailing.
The bandit bit his tongue, eyes rolling back in his head, and he collapsed on top of me.
"Get off!" I screamed.
I tried to push him off. I shoved his chest hard.
He rolled away, but as he rolled, his belt buckle got caught on my sleeve.
"Hey!" the second bandit yelled. "What did you do to Jiro?"
He charged at me while I was still trying to untangle my sleeve from the unconscious bandit's pants.
"Wait! I am stuck!" I yelled.
I yanked my arm back with all my strength.
Riiip.
The unconscious bandit's belt snapped. My arm flew free. But the momentum of pulling back so hard sent me spinning.
I spun around like a ballerina who had lost control. My arms were flailing outward to find balance.
Smack.
My backhand connected with the charging bandit's nose.
Crunch.
"My nose!" he howled, dropping his sword and clutching his face.
I continued to spin, dizzy and confused, until I tripped over the first bandit and landed face-first in the dirt.
[Ding!]
[Double Kill! Method: Pure Chaos. Style Points: 10/10.]
[Achievement Unlocked: "The Drunken Master (Without the Alcohol)." You have defeated two enemies without knowing what you were doing.]
[Reward: 800 Shy Points.]
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