A shinobi running at full speed is incredibly fast.
Among the eight of them, the weakest on the surface was Kamizuki Hikari, followed by Yuhi Kurenai, who was the least skilled in taijutsu.
They had set out in the morning, taking only a short break at noon to eat and drink, and had been running non-stop until nine in the evening.
Kamizuki Izumo and Hagane Kotetsu went out to hunt for some wild game, while Shiranui Genma and Yamashiro Aoba gathered firewood and started a fire. Meanwhile, Tsunade, Kurenai, and Hikari—who was shameless in everyone's eyes—sat there doing nothing, simply waiting to eat.
A bonfire was lit, and several wild rabbits and pheasants were skewered and roasted over the fire.
The group sat around the fire, waiting for their food to cook.
"At this pace, we should reach the Daimyō's residence by noon the day after tomorrow. Before that, I want to know—what are your thoughts on the current situation?"
Anyone Tsunade had brought along was someone she trusted.
Even Kurenai, who seemed the most like an outsider, was unquestionably loyal to Tsunade.
[What thoughts could I possibly have? I'm exhausted and just want a good night's sleep!]
[Big-breasted woman, let me sleep in your arms! I heard that improves sleep quality.]
Tsunade shot Hikari a subtle glance. This bastard... We're out in the field, and you're thinking about that? Do you believe I won't teach you a lesson?
"Tsunade-sama, we currently lack intelligence on the Daimyō's residence. I suggest sending someone ahead to scout the situation," Kurenai proposed.
"I agree!" Maito Gai was always up for anything. Even if he was tasked with intelligence gathering, he wouldn't mind.
Of course, Tsunade wouldn't assign him that job.
To put it bluntly, anyone here could go except Maito Gai.
Gai followed a straightforward, high-intensity taijutsu style, and his distinctive appearance had already been noted by the Daimyō's forces. The moment he appeared, the Daimyō would know he was there.
People shouldn't underestimate the Daimyō.
The Daimyō possessed the greatest wealth in the Land of Fire, and there would always be shinobi willing to protect him for the right price. The previous Twelve Guardian Ninja were his doing.
"For gathering intelligence, I suggest sending Yūhi Kurenai. Genjutsu is less likely to attract attention. Nobles are ordinary people; with a little effort, Kurenai could obtain crucial information." Genma suggested.
Kurenai looked at Tsunade expectantly, hoping for her approval.
[Don't be ridiculous. This situation is definitely not that simple. If that old schemer Danzō gets involved, Kurenai's strength won't be enough—she'd just be walking into a trap!]
[Besides, the relationship between the Daimyō and Konoha is already tense. If the Daimyō finds out Kurenai used genjutsu on the nobles, Tsunade's chances of becoming Hokage would be ruined.]
[Forget it. Just go home and get some sleep.]
Tsunade remained silent.
She initially thought Genma's idea was good and had almost agreed to send Kurenai ahead.
If Kurenai's father, Yuhi Shinku, were here, Tsunade wouldn't have hesitated to give the order. After all, the "Crimson Sunset" was known for genjutsu so powerful that even the Sharingan couldn't easily break it.
But Kurenai wasn't even half as skilled as her father.
As for Maito Gai, he was out of the question.
Kamizuki Izumo and Hagane Kotetsu were strong, but intelligence gathering wasn't their forte.
That left Aoba, Genma, and Hikari.
Tsunade glanced between the three. Unlike the confident and composed Genma and Aoba, Hikari was trying his best to shrink into the background, terrified of being chosen.
"Hikari, who do you think should go?"
As Tsunade spoke, everyone turned to look at him.
Especially Kamizuki Izumo, whose eyes sparkled. 'Little brother, this is your moment!'
Aside from Izumo and Gai, the others looked at Hikari skeptically. They had absolutely no confidence in his abilities.
Come on, the weakest here was at least a Special Jōnin, while Hikari was just a Chūnin. What could he possibly do?
Kamizuki Hikari raised a trembling hand. "I think Kurenai would be a great choice. Not only is she beautiful, but she's also strong."
Tsunade: ???
What kind of nonsense is this?
You were the one who disagreed in your heart, and now you're saying Kurenai is the best? Are you trying to get her killed?
[What else am I supposed to say?]
[Big-breasted woman, you're putting me in a tough spot!]
[You know I'm just a slacker, yet you're asking for my opinion? You're just making my life difficult!]
[Look at these guys. Do any of them seem like they'd actually listen to me? Well... except for Gai, but he's a single-celled organism.]
Forget it. No need to get angry.
Tsunade felt that her patience was improving.
If this had been before, she would've already punched Kamizuki Hikari into the ground and planted him like a seed.
"Alright then."
Since Hikari was so lazy, Tsunade came up with an idea.
"Whoever presents the best plan will receive a B-rank mission reward and three days off. How about that?"
[Holy crap, has Tsunade lost her mind?!]
[Three days off? I love it!]
[The best plan is to send two people, one in the open and one in the shadows. The one in the open distracts the Daimyō, while the other gathers intelligence secretly. With this plan, the three-day vacation is mine!]
"You guys are hopeless. Here's my plan: Kurenai, Aoba, and Genma will all go. Kurenai will act openly to draw attention, while Aoba and Genma will collect intelligence in secret. How about that?" Tsunade stated, mirroring exactly what Hikari had been thinking.
Especially when she saw the shocked expression on Hikari's face, Tsunade felt as sweet as if she had eaten honey.
'Brat, you keep grumbling about me in your head. Look at you now. Shocked, aren't you?'
"Tsunade-sama, you're brilliant!" Kurenai, Genma, and Aoba exclaimed in unison.
Tsunade waved her hand nonchalantly, exuding the demeanor of a master.
"I was going to give you all a chance, but unfortunately, you weren't up to the task!"
"This mission will be temporarily rated as B-rank. Depending on the intelligence gathered, the rank may be adjusted."
Since it wasn't her own money, and now was the perfect time to win people over and get them to work hard, Tsunade wasn't stingy at all.
[Wait, why does this big-breasted woman think exactly like me?]
[Could it be...]
Tsunade, feeling a bit nervous, stared intently at the roasting rabbit as if she hadn't eaten in ten days.
[Maybe Tsunade isn't as dumb as I thought. She's actually pretty smart!]
Tsunade: 'I was never dumb to begin with! You little bastard, when I return from the Daimyō's residence, I'll settle both old and new scores!'
Of course, Tsunade would never admit that she had basically copied Hikari's thoughts.
After all, in the world of shinobi, it's not called copying—it's called strategy!
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