Chương 25: The First Mission

Inside the Hokage office, Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed on his pipe, reviewing paperwork. When Shuji pushed the door open, the old man skipped pleasantries and went straight to the point.

"You've done well building your team, Shuji. The team chemistry seems solid over these past few weeks." Hiruzen's voice carried approval as his eyes met Shuji's.

"In your judgment, is the unit ready for field work?"

"Anko Mitarashi's mental state has largely recovered," Shuji replied cautiously.

"My assessment is that this team can handle B-rank assignments." He intentionally placed weight on B-rank. For their first official deployment, he needed a good start. A faint fold deepened near the corners of Hiruzen's wrinkled eyes. The Shuji of the past favored a direct, aggressive approach, rarely demonstrating this kind of careful restraint regarding task ratings. Was it the lingering trauma of his previous critical injuries and lost comrades?

Was it the presence of an eight-year-old Uchiha with a sensitive background? Or perhaps something else... The thought drifted through the Hokage's mind.

"I see." Hiruzen pulled a specific scroll from a stack on his desk. With a flick of his wrist, the scroll glided across the polished wood, coming to rest in Shuji's hand.

"A B-rank task. Escort a merchant caravan to Dehashi Port." An escort mission. Rated B-rank, meaning the central danger lay in the probability of hostile ninja contact. Shuji unrolled, and scanned the neat script across the paper. Client: Hiroyama Makoto. Profession: Textile merchant. Cargo: High-grade Land of Fire fabrics. Destination: Dehashi Port. Task Rating: B-rank. The request was direct, looking like a standard cross-border trade escort on paper.

Yet the B-rank classification was an explicit signal of hidden danger. Dehashi Port lay on the southwestern coastline of the Land of Fire, though it technically belonged to the Land of Tea, a nation with unusual geography. The Land of Tea possessed two disconnected land enclaves embedded into the southwestern and southeastern corners of the Land of Fire, separated entirely by Fire territory between them. Offshore, it controlled two large islands, Nazaki and Oho.

In terms of land, the country surpassed even the Land of Water. However, the Land of Tea lacked its own hidden ninja village. Its unique geography, bordered solely by the Land of Fire on land, coupled with its total lack of military power, made the nation a permanent client territory for the Leaf Village. Nearly all major assignments originating there flowed directly to Konoha. Hiroyama Makoto's caravan was currently assembled at Nanshou Station, just south of Konoha.

Moving from the heart of the Land of Fire to Dehashi Port, an area firmly within Konoha's sphere of influence, shouldn't ordinarily require fighting hostile ninjas. Shuji looked up, his tone flat.

"Is there a secondary objective for this assignment?" Escorting raw textiles alone could not justify a B-rank label. An unwritten variable had to exist.

"Sharp as always." Hiruzen took a draw from his pipe, exhaling a cloud of smoke that obscured his features for a moment.

"A band of rogue ninjas surfaced around Dehashi Port over the past few months. They've caused soùe trouble." The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"I understand," Shuji said, now he get it.

"Does the village have informations about these rogues?"

"A five-man team," Hiruzen said, pulling two thinner scrolls from a desk drawer and setting them down.

"They call themselves Heishizhong. They move in secret and practice nasty secret arts. They aren't simple targets." He slid the two scrolls forward.

"An A-rank objective: repel or eliminate Heishizhong. A B-rank objective: conduct reconnaissance and secure detailed Informations." Hiruzen tapped the desk.

"You may evaluate the situation on the ground and decide which option to pursue. If you assess the risk to be beyond your team's current capability, you are authorized to stick solely to the merchant escort and return safely." Hiruzen paused before adding, "Also, your team designation will remain Squad 5." Shuji stared at the characters marked on the cover scroll.

Squad 5 was the designation of his previous unit, the squad that fought along the border where he alone survived, escaping back to Konoha with critical informations. He silently gathered all three scrolls into his coat. Hiruzen stood up, walked around the large desk, and rested a heavy hand on Shuji's shoulder. His gaze drifted toward the busy streets outside the window, his voice dropping.

"The Land of Tea's contract share is vital to the village's current budget. We cannot lose it." Hiruzen sighed faintly.

"The Cloud delegation will arrive soon. Village is short on manpower, and both ANBU and standard forces must prioritize delegation security and peace negotiations... I must ask Squad 5 to handle Dehashi Port." Shuji gave a firm nod, keeping his expression neutral.

"Understood, Lord Hokage." He secured the three scrolls and walked out of the office. The heavy wooden door clicked shut behind him, cutting off the heavy smell of pipe smoke and the weight of the Hokage's expectations. Walking through the dim hallway, Shuji's pace remained steady, though his mind processed the parameters at high speed. Heishizhong... Rogue ninjas... Reconnaissance or elimination... The difficulty was substantial. Itachi possessed exceptional talent, but his physical endurance was bound by his age.

Anko was recovering, yet she was not back at her peak. Taking on a dual objective in a region with unknown enemies elevated the operational risk. Still, the Hokage's hidden motive was obvious. Over the past decade, the village had enjoyed only one year of relative peace between Konoha 50 and 51. No matter how wealthy Konoha appeared, financial strain remained severe. The Land of Tea market could not be abandoned. Squad 5... Shuji repeated the number in his head.

Memories from the original owner of this body surfaced, leaving a faint weight in his chest despite not being his personal past. He cleared his mind and accelerated his steps toward Training Ground 3. It was time to prepare his team.... At the training ground, the afternoon sun beat down onto the dirt floor. Anko stood in front of a reinforced wooden post, practicing spatial angles for Hidden Shadow Snake Hands. Sweat soaked the back of her dark purple trench coat, but her focus remained sharp.

A short distance away, Itachi sat with his eyes closed, refining his internal chakra flow through mental simulation. When Shuji walked onto the field, Anko stopped her striking routine and wiped her forehead.

"Captain," Anko called out, her eyes bright with energy.

"What did the old man... I mean, Lord Hokage want? Do we have a big assignment?" Itachi opened his eyes, rising quietly to face Shuji. Shuji unrolled the three scrolls on the dry dirt.

"B-rank assignment. Escorting a textile merchant's caravan to Dehashi Port in the Land of Tea."

"Dehashi Port?" Anko raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't that area peaceful? Why is it rated B-rank? Are hostile ninjas targeting the route?"

"It used to be peaceful," Shuji said calmly.

"Recently, a rogue ninja squad calling themselves Heishizhong began operating near Dehashi Port. They practice secret arts and threaten the trade route." He pointed to the other two scrolls.

"Secondary objectives: gather informations on Heishizhong for a B-rank payout, or drive them out and eliminate them for an A-rank payout." Anko let out a short breath.

"An A-rank objective on our very first mission?"

"Lord Hokage gave us the choice," Shuji clarified, locking eyes with both of them.

"Our primary directive is ensuring the merchant's safety. Reconnaissance and elimination will depend entirely on local conditions and our operational status." He paused, letting his voice settle firmly into the air.

"Squad 5's priority order is absolute. First: ensure Hiroyama Makoto's caravan reaches Dehashi Port intact. Second: gather informations on Heishizhong without putting yourselves in lethal danger. Third: drive off or eliminate the target." Shuji looked directly at Anko, then at Itachi.

"Is that clear?"

"Understood!" Anko answered, her slight grin replaced by a sharp nod. Itachi inclined his head respectfully.

"Understood, Senpai."

"Good." Shuji rolled up the scrolls and stowed them away.

"Meeting point is Nanshou Station. The caravan departs at dawn. Dismissed. Prepare your gear, weapons, and medical supplies. We meet at the main gate tomorrow before six." The newly forged Squad 5 was officially taking the field.