Snippet #2656210

Ran listened to Shinso voicing his thoughts on the ambush, then shook her head. “I can't sense chakra, only movement. We had a dedicated scout on our team for that, although … clearly whatever techniques they have were able to disrupt his senses. He was the first one to die,” Ran let out a small philosophical sigh on the nature of the dog eat dog world of shinobi life, but then shrugged. “We were outmanouvred. But that's not to say we can't get the drop on them. Assuming they are moving along the ground, or even on something attached to the ground, I should be able to feel their movement, though we can't rely on that being exact.” Sitting cross-legged under the dome, Ran watched Shinso play with his kunai before stabbing it into the ground, a ruthless yet considered gesture. She too put her mind to work thinking of how they could best counter-ambush the Sand ninjas, but she looked up from that knife to Shinso's face as he asked her if she had any helpful special abilities. “If I do, you'll know it when you see it. Maybe,” she replied, raising an eyebrow as she returned a cynical smile back at him.

She considered his strategy for a minute or two, once again impressed by the variety of uses his sealing jutsu could be put to. “It's a good plan. But let me add something. I can combine two earth techniques that will make this easier. Firstly, construct a tunnel that will lead us underneath where we suspect a lone Sand ninja will be, based on where I can feel the movement. That will be easier for us to travel inside rather than digging through the earth, and it will provide a place to put our Sand ninja once we have him in our grasp. Once we're nearby, you seal yourself into the shuriken, and I will dig up through the earth using that technique you saw before. Once I'm up, I'll throw you – in the shuriken – at the target. Once I have line of sight I will have their exact location. You will subdue them, however you wish, as long as we can still interrogate them afterwards. Once you have them, I can drop you and the target back into the tunnels below by turning the ground to sand beneath you. You'll have to make sure the enemy shinobi is fully restrained from using any jutsu as Sand shinobi plus sand could be a bad combination. Once everyone is back in the tunnels, it will be up to you, I'll be all out of chakra by then.

“However, once we're in a position to ask questions, then you might get to see something interesting, regarding my 'special ability'.”

Ran stood, and tore a length from the hem of her cloak, tying it over her face to replace her broken mask. Only her eyes remained visible. “Are we good to go, Shishi?”