Welcome to the Earth Country

From the distance the trio could see the long outer circular outer wall and the smaller square one within. At close proximity they came to realize that the outer perimeter wall was double bricked and stood twice as tall as that of the Lightning village. They left their stallion and carriage outside the wall and paid a farmer who owned a stable nearby to look after it. Afterwards the three lightning ninja headed to the main gate entrance and showed their Lightning village passports. The lightning ninja were requested to state the reason for their visit and were thoroughly searched by four officers. They were then informed to leave their weapons behind before being allowed entry into the country. After complying with the requests and orders they slowly walked to the market place in the Soil district taking time to admire the scenery. The Soil district was mostly made up of thatched and timber houses. Along the way Takumi shared some general knowledge about the Earth country with the other two.

“Unlike our shinobi system this place has keisatsu (police) instead,” he told them, “…and there has been a long history of rivalry between the Earth and Water countries.”

Kazuo kept nodding at the new information he was receiving whilst Mikoto rolled her eyes because she already knew from Hideo’s general knowledge lectures.

“There’s the market,” Mikoto pointed making sure to interrupt Takumi’s Earth country lecture.

As Kazuo was looking for some money his satchel to buy some purple grapes from one of the merchants a boy with curly brown hair hurriedly pushed against him and dashed away with his satchel.

“Thief!” Kazuo shouted only to realize that no one chased after or tried to stop the boy.

He rapidly took to his feet and followed the boy with Mikoto and Takumi tailing him. The thief used his knowledge of the Soil district to run circles around the lightning trio who were hard on his tail. After several minutes when he thought he had outmaneuvered Kazuo and his team they finally caught him checking the contents of the bag in an alleyway.

“Gotcha,” Kazuo grinned as he placed his hand on the thief’s shoulder. “Did you really think you could outrun ninja?”

At that moment the boy dropped the satchel on the ground. His heart galloped like a stallion at full speed and his legs shook uncontrollably. Kazuo was about to clobber the boy’s head with a tightly clenched fist when Mikoto stopped him before the punch connected. Kazuo looked back at her but she shrugged against any act of violence against the defenseless young lad. Mikoto gripped the boy’s hands behind his back as Kazuo checked the satchel and confirmed that everything was still in place.

“You’re lucky all my stuff is still here,” Kazuo gave the boy a piercing gaze.

“He can be of good use to us,” said Takumi before facing the captive, “boy what is your name?”

“K–Ka–Kaito…”

“Do you know of a huge, wide sword named Dojin? Said to have been wielded by the legendary Sage?” Takumi asked recalling some of Kazuro’s scrolls he had read.

“Y–yes…the sword in the stone,” Kaito replied. “But why should I tell you guys about it?”

Mikoto strengthened her grip and twisted Kaito’s arms.

“Aaaah!” Kaito shrieked, “o–okay okay…I’ll tell you what I know.”

“Good boy,” smiled Mikoto.

“It is in Okayama prison within the Rock also known as the Ishigami district named after the royal family. Not just anyone from the Soil can enter the Rock not to mention the heavily guarded prison inside the walls. Only keisatsu and aristocrats are allowed.”

“Does the rule allow for foreign aristocrats as well?” asked Takumi as Mikoto and Kazuo caught where he was heading with the question.

“Not exactly,” Kaito checked around before clarifying, “I can’t tell you why that is here…the walls have ears. Can we go to my brother’s house?”

“That’s alright but don’t try anything funny,” Takumi replied.

The four of them reached the wooden and thatched structure that was similar to most of the buildings in the district. Upon arrival they sat down on some futon (cushions) and Kaito stated that his brother Keisuke was a keisatsu and he would be able to help them get into the Ishigami district. He further clarified that the country was run behind the scenes by the leader of the Hasegawa clan Daichi who was the eldest of three brothers that were also in charge of a yakuza crime syndicate. The Hasegawa syndicate had usurped Doi Ishigami as daimyo before making him their puppet. This information was classified and treasonous hence his reluctance to tell them out in the open.

“I see so this Daichi wouldn’t be quite welcoming a Fire village prince,” stated Takumi.

“I highly doubt it,” replied Kaito, “those guys are ruthless, they didn’t think twice about killing anyone in their way to get to where they are now.”

“But that katana is my great grandfather’s,” Kazuo butted in.

“I don’t think they’d give a rat’s ass about any of that…here it’s considered a national treasure,” replied Kaito.

“You said something about your brother Keisuke-san being able to get us into the Ishigami district,” Mikoto pointed out. “How’d he do that when it’s virtually impenetrable?”

“You’d have to be arrested,” Kaito declared.

The trio stared at him with wide open eyes and mouths. He must be joking! They thought as they recalled that they had left all their weapons back at the main gate. However the boy was dead serious. When asked how his brother would help them escape the impregnable fortress Kaito had no answer. He sat there silently while Takumi began planning a series of possible scenarios in his head. Keisuke would later arrive home from work in the evening just as the sun was about to set.

“Darn those Hasegawa!” grunted an annoyed Keisuke as he left his shoes near the front door. “And our top brass too…how’d they allow that yakuza to go away so easily after mur–”

He paused as he was welcomed by three new faces. “Kaito who are these friends of yours? I’ve never seen them before.”

Keisuke looked like he was in his mid-twenties. He had the same brown hair as his younger brother however his was shorter, neatly combed and he was dressed in the army green keisatsu uniform. Kaito introduced the trio to his brother and he told him about how he could help them steal the earth blade.

“Absolutely not! I will not escort your friends on a suicide mission,” Keisuke’s face turned scarlet. “Do you know how dangerous and treasonous that is!? I could lose my job for it…or worse!”

“But brother you always tell me about those corrupt high ups in the keisatsu department who get away with far worse crimes together with the Hasegawa syndicate.”

“The distribution of opium and covering up murder are nothing compared to breaking into Okayama prison and stealing the national treasure,” Keisuke argued. “In any case even if I were to go ahead and help you with this crazy idea of yours,” he looked at the trio, “how’d you remove the sword from the stone? No one has ever been able to do it.”

“I can do it,” said Kazuo with a great degree of confidence.

“Kazuo right…and what makes you think you can do that?”

“It belonged to the legendary Sage who was my great grandfather,” came the reply. “I know I can do it.”

“Even if that were the case my final answer is still no,” ordered Keisuke. “I can’t send you three to your deaths.” He stood up and went to prepare dinner in the kitchen.

After dinner Keisuke retired off to his room to sleep before heading to work at dawn the next day. As the keisatsu banged his door Takumi had finally came up with a plan so he relayed it to the other three.

“I found it,” whispered Takumi, “How we can all get out of this alive.”

Mikoto, Kaito and Kazuo’s faces beamed with light eagerly waiting to hear what the genius plan was.

“We shall use the cover of the night to break into the Ishigami district. First of all we’ll need to take care of the gate guards…Mikoto and Kazuo that’s where you come in. Once we’re inside Kazuo you’ll have to pretend to turn yourself in and have one guard escort you to the prison whilst us three head to the Hasegawa warehouse,” said Takumi in one go.

He then faced Kaito, “Do you have anything we can use to create an explosive?”

“You mean like black powder?”

“Affirmative…do you know where we can find something like that?”

“Yeah, the Hasegawa have tons of it in their warehouse from trading with Chūgoku (China). They use that stuff for their muskets.”

“Perfect…we’ll just need a lighter,” said Takumi and Kaito rushed to get his brother’s steel lighter. “The place will be heavily guarded might you have any weapons we can use?”

“Keisatsu only carry batons but we have knives in the kitchen,” replied Kaito.

“Those will do,” affirmed Takumi. “Once we blow up the warehouse both yakuza and keisatsu will rush to the explosion giving Kazuo time to escape with the earth blade. And once he does that he’ll meet up with us back outside the Ishigami district main gate.” Takumi looked at them as they processed his plan, “understood?”

Kaito nodded eagerly while Mikoto shrugged, “what do we do about the yakuza with muskets?” she asked.

“We have the cover of the dark plus Kaito here who knows the ins and outs of the district thanks to his brother,” answered Takumi.

Mikoto ended up agreeing but she still had an unsatisfied hint on her face. When it became dark outside the team of four silently made their way to the Ishigami district armed with cutting knives and determined to carry out their plan without fail. The group reached the tall double bricked wall and from a short distance away they could make out silhouettes of two keisatsu with lanterns. One stood next to the main gate and the other patrolled on top of the wall. Takumi used the overhead keisatsu’s lantern to estimate the position of his head. He picked up a pebble from the ground and launched it into the air and it connected with the keisatsu’s temple. The officer on the ground heard a thud and before he could check where they sound came from he was stopped by Mikoto’s knife to his throat. The plan seemed to be going accordingly. Takumi relieved the keisatsu of his keys and opened the main gate.

“He’s all yours,” Mikoto whispered as she handed over her captive to Kazuo.

The other two boys carried the unconscious guard outside the wall. After hiding the body Takumi then locked the gate and the trio left for the Hasegawa warehouse leaving Kazuo with a knife to the keisatsu’s back.

“I’ll pretend to be your prisoner,” he told the officer, “take me to Okayama prison and don’t try anything funny.”