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From inside a small hut near the back end of the village a genin mused over his new potential. The tools of the trade were now his bread and butter, his lifeline to proper growth and financial stability. For the next month everything he did would focus on improving his skills and expanding his repertoire. For now he would he would have to stick with his guns. He didn’t have the time and general experience in crafting to learn too many in such a condensed amount of time so he came to bare a plan now all that was left was to finish its execution. It was all pretty straight forward; D-ranked secondary weapons and B-ranked accessories were his two fields of skill. The D-ranked secondary items would be far more important in the beginning.

He would use his expertise to create the secondary items that met three specific and mandatory guidelines. First He needed something that was disposable, something more or less all shinobi needed in any given mission or could make use of at any given time. But in that same right, it had to be something that they had to replace often. Second, it had to be something extremely simple so that it required very little time to craft and thus he could make plenty of them on any given day. Finally, it had to be cheap to produce. Even among the simple and often destroyed or lost shinobi weapons prices tended to vary and it was a golden rule of thumb in the crafting world that your materials would cost about fifty percent of the sales price of your final and finished item.

There were three tools in the secondary weapons class that were both often replaced by Shinobi prior to each mission as well as all three being equally simple and fast to create. But of those three tools only one had the cheapest crafting costs and required the least materials to create. In the end he decided upon the Kunai, which coincidentally, was the most common tool your average ninja would possess. Meeting the requirements was crucial for the item he chose because said item would be how he introduced himself to Iwa, and eventually to Suna as a skilled and willing craftsman. His starting sets of Kunai would not be of more quality or less quality than the Kunai of the item shops of each country, they would be equal in quality. But for the next month Sen would give them away for free.

Shinobi needing new Kunai but were short or Ryo, frugal with their funds or even those just wanted something for nothing would be entitled to a free Kunai. The Kunai giveaway would allow him to expand his customer base and spread his name as a quality vendor. By the time the month was up, all of Iwa would know of him and the custom jobs would come rolling in, along with the Ryo and crafting experience which would allow him to repay his debt to Iwa, keep a steady supply of materials for his crafting jobs as well as eventually purchase the tools mandatory for S-class crafting.

Another day, another piece of Ryo. For all his troubles Sen came home from Suna with a new outlook on his own goals. There was much to do and little time to do it. His first stop was the Tsuchikage's office. The kid younger than him that lead the village had given him a task and he'd completed that task. There was nothing more left to do than report.

[ENTER VILLAGE]

There it was. Proposal denied. With his tools burning a hole in his back pocket, every moment he spent waiting to get back to Iwa made him a little more detached from his current mission. He had no say or control over the unraveling events, he was simply a messenger. The Kazekage well was within his rights to refuse the proposal as it was. He had no obligation to Iwa, Tsuchikage, or even the humbled genin that wandered into his Village asking for an alliance. Who he did have an obligation to however, was Sunagakure no Sato and if was very obvious that he intended to live up to his duties and would not put the village at risk by leaving to seek a potential alliance. If Iwa wanted to join hands with Suna they would have to put themselves on the line and prove their earnest intentions and make the journey themselves to a place where they could be easily ambushed.

If Iwa had the good intentions it claimed and it honestly sought to join forces with Suna going there would be no problem. It would allow the alliance a safer place to be discussed while not putting Suna at major risk to Iwa potential trickery, although to the genin’s knowledge there was no trickery in store, unless the Tsuchikage was also tricking him. A messenger who really thought he was asking for an alliance would seem far more convincing than one who knew it was a trick. Either way moving forward with the plans as they were shaping up would give Suna the upper hand. The Kazekage was slick one indeed. He and his genin team gave him their wishes of a safe passage home and made their exits.

This was future defining stuff that would shape the path of two Hidden Villages of Sand and Stone, and by extension of that, all the remaining Hidden Villages. There was zero chance the others would sit back and remain neutral on all fronts if they heard word that Suna and Iwa were forming an alliance. They would either seek into the alliance as well or form their own in response but not very many would remain neutral. No one wanted to be caught alone in the storm, no one wanted to be left behind. For Iwa this had been an unchanging feeling; they were last in the great race between the Hidden Villages to regain stability but through the prominence of rising genin like himself and the apparent enterprising of their new Tsuchikage they were on their way to something better than the arrogant former glory they'd once been so well known for.

His message was taken in with enough belief that he was allowed to keep his head. How lucky he was he would never live down. The Chuunin’s tone changed and he seemed more than willing to guide him into the sandhole all Suna-nin called home. Although Sen was sure it couldn’t have been than the rockhole he himself called home. He didn’t have to try too hard to convince his new acquaintance of his intentions. It made sense though; the Chuunin had no way to tell if he was lying or if he really had a message. If he called his bluff and killed him the ramifications could have been war or on a more personal scale death for just him for killing a messenger. If he did mean harm to the village there was little chance he could kill the Kazekage and everyone else that would follow to stop him there was little to be lost by allowing him into the village considering his claims. If the Iwa-nin was telling the truth and he really did have a message to pass between the Kage’s, preferably a beneficial massage, the Chuunin’s reward for facilitating safe passage for said genin would be at the very least, an early end to a boring and tiring mission of border patrol. He’d only had to guard Earth Country’s borders once. The payout was worth it but it wasn’t a mission he was anxious to repeat anytime soon.

Rotating his shoulder blades and dusting himself off a bit the genin followed his Chuunin guide through the short remains of the area regarded as general Wind Country and into land specifically marked as Sunagakure. A long passageway forged of sand that didn’t crumble when stacked vertically on itself led him to the village gates where tower guards peered down at him with expressions varying from interest and caution to distaste and indifference.

It was to be expected; the Great War left an open field of neutrality between all villages even though before it there was an intricate string between the villages regarding enemies and allies. In general all villages were somewhat enemies at this point as all villages were trying to get back on their feet. Interacting with the others was a gamble in their embryotic states. But, whether that gamble paid the village out or cleaned the village out was up to the two shadows guiding said villages. He hoped for the sake of Iwa that they could be allies that hid no underhanded tricks in store for one another but he feared that was the wishful thinking of a genin.

The Chuunin gave the signal and the gates opened. He followed his guide through with caution. There wasn’t an immediate feel of danger which was what made him so…. anxious. If he was labeled a threat of some sort he wouldn’t be able to make it out of the village alive, especially not with the gate closing behind him. He was officially in the belly of the beast. But, so long as the Tsuchikage hadn’t written anything on that scroll that would screw him over, that beast would become a partner and its belly would be more of a safe haven or home away from home, rather than a potential death trap.

Through the village they went, he tried his best not to stare or learn the layout of the land but it couldn’t be helped. His training told him to know where he was to know the structural layout of his surroundings for emergency situations. This went double for other Hidden Villages whether they were allies or not. Before long he was lead into a prominent building he assumed was the Kazekage’s office. He was relieved that the hardest parts of assignment were over; handing the scroll over and heading home would be the easiest parts. If something unexpected happened and he wasn’t able to go back to Iwa, well he accepted that it was out of his hands and for once he decided that he had to believe in and have faith in his Kage.

It was a hard thing to get used to, the sand sinking underneath his feet was a contrast to bounding and leaping from rocks. Stone didn't bend no matter the pressure put on it but Sand shifted and entrapped those that put pressure on it. Traveling through Tsuchi no Kuni meant being firm and strong, being able to climb. Traveling though Kaze no Kuni meant being light-footed, agile and always on the move. Or at least that's how the genin took it as he paced himself advancing in the general direction of Sunagakure. It would be miles before he actually had to be more specific in his directions.

One thing he did like about desert wandering; if you went fast enough the sand would kick up behind you. Leaving a trial and drawing attention wasn't the best way to get the job done so he refrained from doing so after discovering he could but it stuck in his mind as something to try the moment Suna and Iwa were allies. There would be plenty of trips to the desert he still had to partake in, the Sandroa Saggar would almost always be his destination.

His paced trotting through the sands allowed him to soak up his surroundings as they came, nothing that wasn't hidden under some concealment style of jutsu made it within attacking distance without him noticing. That being said he couldn't help but notice the rays of light shining past him, reflected from the headband of the figure in the distance. He was too far away to make out the headband but simply having one made him a speculated ninja. Until he could see the insignia the headband bore it would foolish to approach.

There were more than seven hidden villages of ninja and simply because they were in Wind County, it didn't automatically make this guy Suna-nin, he could have been a deserter, a Nuke-nin and that would be decidedly worse. If he was patrolling the border he would warn intruders not to advance any further and state his positioning as a shinobi of Suna, if he did not name himself as a shonobi of Suna, Sen feared his mission was about to go from good to shit before he could even get the message to the Kazekage. He he wished he’d brushed up on his Youton in case of a fight but he deemed it more important to start building his crafting skills. He didn’t regret his decision now, he only hoped he wouldn’t have to either. A desert burial wasn’t his idea of resting in peace so if it had to happen, he wouldn’t die without a struggle. If he could only get closer… and peek at that headband, all this could be avoided.

• Takumi no Jutsu (Crafting Technique)
  Rank: D, C, B, A, S
  Type: Passive / Profession Tech
  Range: Self
  Special: Determines the highest rank of subcrafting the user can now based on how the highest rank known for this technique. Crafting times vary by rank. Keep in mind 'perfect posts' equate to getting the maximum allowable EXP per IC post, which is 10 EXP.
  
  'D' - 2 perfect posts
  'C' - 4 perfect posts
  'B' - 6 perfect posts
  'A' - 8 perfect posts
  'S' - 10 perfect posts
  
  
  Description: As the beginning of all Craftsmanship, the user is taught to understand the basics of crafting as well as the processes it requires. Through this training, they are able to then craft more specific creations, becoming legendary smithies in their own right.
  Domain: Crafting
  
  
  
  • Fukugi Gikou (Secondary Weapon Crafting)
    Rank: D, C, B, A, S
    Type: Passive / Profession Tech
    Range: Self
    Special: Allows one to craft Secondary Weapons equal to highest rank known.
    Description: Utilizing this crafting technique allows one to craft secondary weapons of the corresponding rank. Example: Jon wants to craft a B rank kunai; he needs to know this Technique to B Rank.
    Domain: Crafting. Crafting Technique of equal rank!
    
    
    
  • Futai Gikou (Accessory Crafting)
    Rank: D, C, B, A, S
    Type: Passive / Profession Tech
    Range: Self
    Special: Allows one to craft Tools equal to highest rank known.
    Description: Utilizing this crafting technique allows one to craft ninja tools of the corresponding rank. Example: Jon wants to craft a B rank gourd; he needs to know this Technique to B Rank.
    Domain: Crafting. Crafting Technique of equal rank!
    
    
    

[Total of 375 EXP]

Making his way past the Tsuchikage’s office and the hospital he came upon the old man’s scroll shop and said old man was once again waiting for him out front. He seemed to be in better in health that what he’d been a couple days prior. He did keep coughing into a rag something awful but the genin didn’t pay it any mind. The only thing the shop owner cared about was his business and he could respect that. He carefully placed one of the bag on the ground which the owner grabs and in a hurry seemingly anxious to prove that he wasn’t completely weak useless. The elderly were so defensive about being able to do for themselves, even when they couldn’t do themselves.

He offered water to which the he declined, there would be no rewards like food and drinks until he officially off-assignment, which was only a few moment away anyway. As before Sen stayed with the owner to ensure his own competence as they counted the scrolls one by one, bag by bag until they were all tucked away in their respective bins. He was escorted to the door and then bowed to, which he returned. It seemed like the owner was slowly making a comeback to good health but he assured Sen that with all the Ryo he was making by constantly having his shelves stocked with scrolls he wouldn’t be returning back to etching his own shipments anytime soon.

[END]