Tatsumi and Nawaki stood in front of their tent, gazing at the distant wall.
The wall bore the scars of past battles, reinforced with new Earth Release techniques, creating a contrast between the old and the new.
The worn-down sections represented the past, while the freshly constructed parts symbolized the future. For Konoha's ninjas, this simple wall provided a sense of security.
After all, people are social creatures, and ninjas were no exception. Being among their own, even in small numbers, made them feel much safer.
To them, inside the wall was Konoha. Outside the wall was the world.
As they watched the drizzling rain beyond the wall, Tatsumi and Nawaki wordlessly took off their pants and began a water-splashing competition—an age-old activity suitable for all ages.
Then, two Water Release jutsu soared into the sky.
In this particular event, everyone demonstrated an exceptional commitment to the principles of speed, height, and distance. Tatsumi even suspected that a certain athletic spirit had been sublimated from this ancient tradition.
"I heard a lot of genin have been stuck in the camp for weeks," Nawaki said, shaking a certain part of his body before sharing his latest intel with Tatsumi.
"Isn't that a good thing? It's safe and comfortable here. It's been raining nonstop, and this weather isn't ideal for missions," Tatsumi replied, pulling his pants back up and stretching.
"But when the enemy attacks, all the genin do is throw shuriken, and that's it. It's too cautious," Nawaki complained.
He glanced down at his feet. Something felt a little too damp—whether it was rain or something else, he preferred not to think about it.
Tatsumi smirked. "What's wrong with being cautious? At worst, you move a little slower, but at least it's safe."
"But I want to fight the enemy. Can you even call it a fight if all you're doing is throwing shuriken?"
Tatsumi scoffed. "Why not? When you get back, you can say you fought a demigod."
Tatsumi pretended not to hear Nawaki's complaints. After all, it wasn't his fault Nawaki was still just a lowly genin.
Just then, a figure holding an oil-paper umbrella approached from the distance.
"Orochimaru-sensei, aren't you busy? What brings you here?" Nawaki asked, eagerly grabbing Orochimaru's sleeve and subtly using it to dry his wet hand before letting go.
"There wasn't much to do," Orochimaru replied, giving Nawaki a suspicious glance before leading the two inside their tent.
After sitting down, Orochimaru spoke. "In the coming days, Tsunade and I will be extremely busy. We won't have time to take you around the battlefield anymore."
"Even though you've killed before and completed two A-rank missions, those missions were unique. Most importantly, even though your combat power surpasses many ninjas, you're still lacking in battlefield command experience."
Orochimaru hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Because of this, Tsunade and I discussed it. She believes you need more training and should be tested on the battlefield. In fact, she even suggested sending you on a mission where life and death don't matter—she wanted you to assassinate Hanzo."
Wait, assassinate Hanzo?! Was Tsunade a spy? Otherwise, why was she trying to send them straight into the flames?
Tatsumi was dumbfounded by Orochimaru's words, but Nawaki looked eager to accept.
Orochimaru sighed. "But I think that's too dangerous. I tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn't budge. In the end, I managed to settle on a relatively safer mission for you."
As he spoke, he pulled a document from his pocket.
"Here's a map of the area along with intelligence on the team you'll be joining."
Tatsumi took the document and skimmed through it.
"This mission primarily focuses on intelligence reconnaissance, with the additional task of eliminating enemy ninjas in the vicinity."
Tatsumi nodded and continued reading.
After finishing, Orochimaru stood up. "Tatsumi, I'm appointing you as the captain of the first team. You'll be leading Senju Nawaki and Uchiha Mikoto for this mission."
"Understood."
"Good. A chunin familiar with the area will guide you there shortly." With that, Orochimaru turned to leave.
Just as he was about to step out of the tent, he paused and looked back.
"Don't blame Tsunade. She's doing this for your own good."
Wuwu… Orochimaru-sensei is still the best… Nawaki was genuinely touched.
After Orochimaru left, Tatsumi continued scanning the mission details.
But the more he read, the more he felt something was off. This so-called "reconnaissance and elimination" mission seemed more like a glorified scavenger hunt—lurking in the shadows, waiting to clean up the battlefield after the real fights were over.
Once Tatsumi, Mikoto, and Nawaki packed their gear, the chunin sent by Orochimaru arrived.
With that, the three of them departed for a remote area in the eastern part of the Land of Rain, taking on the role of intelligence operatives as if they were conducting a top-secret mission.
Though the mission carried some danger, Tatsumi wasn't particularly concerned. Mikoto, too, showed no reluctance—so long as she could fight alongside Tatsumi, that was enough.
Nawaki, on the other hand, was thrilled. Before leaving, he had already boasted about it to Minato several times.
Of course, Tsunade wouldn't send them anywhere near the main battlefields. What they needed was experience, not unnecessary risk.
During wartime, even picking off a few stragglers and making minor contributions could earn them a promotion to chunin without having to go through the exams.
Their guide was a seasoned Konoha chunin who had long served as an intelligence ninja. He knew the remote paths of the Land of Rain like the back of his hand, allowing them to avoid many dangers and traps along the way.
Thanks to his expertise, the three of them safely arrived at a small town.
Due to the ongoing war, nearly all the town's residents remained behind closed doors. The streets were eerily quiet, with no sign of life.
The chunin led them to a run-down house.
"Wait here for a moment," he instructed.
Then, he walked up to the door and knocked—three light taps followed by two heavy ones.
"Who is it?"
A low, wary voice came from inside.
"It's me, Inukui," the chunin replied.
The person inside paused before responding.
"Oh?"
"No!"
After exchanging the password, the door creaked open.
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