The air was filled with the smell of gunpowder and scorched earth.
Menma walked over to the large tree that had lost quite a bit of its bark from the shockwave and was now tied with the two unconscious Kirigakure's Missing-Nin. He crouched down and quickly and skillfully searched Gozu and Meizu's bodies.
He found some poisoned senbon and shuriken hidden in the linings of their clothes and secret compartments of their ninja tool pouches, a small amount of common currency, and several letters carefully wrapped in waterproof oil paper but now scorched yellow and curled at the edges from the explosion's high heat.
Menma quickly glanced at the tokens and letter fragments. The writing and seals on them pointed to a vague organization, but more specific information, such as the exact identity of the employer or follow-up plans, was clearly not known by these Chunin-level assassins.
These two were just low-level pawns sent to test the waters.
It would be difficult to extract valuable information from them in a short time, especially since they were still severely wounded and unconscious.
Kakashi's gaze moved away from Menma's searching actions and fell back onto Tazuna, who was sitting slumped on the muddy ground, his face pale and his whole body trembling.
"Tazuna-san." Kakashi's voice was not loud, even carried a lazy tone, but the content made Tazuna shudder.
"We encountered an attack by hostile Ninja during the mission, and their strength exceeded the scope of a C-rank mission. This means there was a significant concealment or omission in the mission intelligence you initially submitted." He paused, looking at Tazuna's eyes which suddenly lifted, filled with panic, and continued.
"According to Konoha's Ninja Mission Regulations, when the actual situation of a mission seriously does not match the entrustment content, the risk level exceeds expectations, and the client has deliberately concealed information, the mission execution team leader, that is, me, has the right to unilaterally terminate the mission and immediately report the situation back to the village."
"Subsequently, the Konoha's Mission Department will re-evaluate and may even hold you accountable for making a false entrustment and placing our village's Ninja at unnecessary risk."
"Terminate the mission?!" Tazuna jumped up from the ground as if stung, forgetting the dirt and alcohol stains on his body, the last trace of color draining from his face.
"No! You absolutely cannot terminate the mission! If you give up now and turn back, the Land of Waves will truly be finished! I... I'll be killed by that bastard Matsuo too! He will never let me go!"
His agitation and despair did not seem feigned. Naruto stopped glaring angrily at the two Kirigakure's Missing-Nin and turned his head, confused, to look at this drunk uncle he had been arguing with not long ago.
Hinata also instinctively moved closer to Menma, her pale eyes looking at Tazuna with sympathy.
Menma stopped his search, stood up, handed the letter fragments he had found to Kakashi, and then quietly watched Tazuna, his gaze indifferent and unreadable.
Under the watchful eyes of the several young Ninja and Kakashi, Tazuna seemed drained of all strength. He staggered, then slapped his forehead hard, trying to clear his mind, which was addled by alcohol and fear.
He let his hand fall dejectedly, his voice hoarse, carrying a heavy fatigue and helplessness: "I... I didn't mean to deceive you. Truly, I didn't."
Tazuna looked up, his murky eyes bloodshot: "It's just that... everyone in our Land of Waves scraped together everything they could, sold everything they could, just to gather the money to buy the most urgently needed materials for building the bridge. The remaining money was only enough to pay the commission for a C-rank mission... We simply couldn't afford a B-rank mission!"
He clutched his messy hair in anguish: "I know, I know the rules of Ninja Missions, I know it's wrong to conceal information... But what could I do? Watch the bridge construction stop halfway? Watch that bloodsucker Matsuo continue to drain the blood of everyone in the Land of Waves?"
"This bridge... is our only hope!"
Naruto's initially somewhat angry expression slowly changed as he heard the words 'everyone scraped together' and 'only hope'.
He remembered how lonely he had been as a child, longing to be accepted by everyone.
The 'everyone' Tazuna spoke of, those people of the Land of Waves pooling their money to build the bridge, seemed to touch something soft deep within Naruto's heart.
He unconsciously looked at Menma, then at Kakashi. His lips moved, wanting to say something, but not knowing how to begin.
Hinata was inherently kind and soft-hearted. Hearing Tazuna's tearful plea, thinking of a nation's people being oppressed and exploited, finding it so difficult even to build a bridge for survival, her heart ached even more.
She clutched Menma's sleeve, looked up at his profile, her eyes carrying a question and a hint of plea.
Kakashi scratched his unruly silver hair, sighed, his tone sounding a bit troubled: "Tazuna-san, I sympathize with your situation. However, regulations are regulations. The reason they exist is to ensure the safety and rights of both the client and the Ninja."
"Concealing risks and causing a misjudgment of the mission rank could very well lead to irreversible consequences. For instance, my subordinates just now almost came to harm due to insufficient information."
He glanced meaningfully at the Demon Brothers tied up nearby.
Then, Kakashi turned his gaze to his three subordinates: Menma, Naruto, and Hinata.
"However, consider this an early lesson for you." Kakashi's tone softened slightly. "During a mission, if you encounter unexpected situations, where the risk far exceeds expectations, and the client may have concealed information, as the actual executors of the mission, what would you choose? Would you strictly follow the regulations, terminate the mission, return safely, report the situation, and let the village's higher-ups decide? Or..."
He didn't finish, but the meaning was clear.
"Of course we keep going! Do you even need to ask, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto yelled out almost without thinking, pumping his fist, his face full of fearless passion.
"If we run back just because we met some half-decent enemies, then what kind of Ninja are we! What's the difference between that and a coward! We're men who are going to become Hokage! Right, Menma-nii!" He habitually sought Menma's agreement, his blue eyes burning with a determined flame.
"My Ninja Way doesn't allow me to give up easily!"
Hinata seemed infected by Naruto's loud voice.
She took a deep breath, let go of Menma's sleeve, and took half a step forward. Though her voice was still not loud, it carried unprecedented firmness: "I... I want to continue too. Tazuna-san and the people of the Land of Waves... they need this bridge, they need hope. Besides..."
She glanced at Menma beside her, her fair cheeks flushing slightly, but her tone grew even more resolute: "I trust Kakashi-sensei, and I trust Menma-kun and Naruto-kun. We... can definitely complete the mission."
Menma looked at Naruto's fiercely determined eyes and Hinata's shy but resolute face. He didn't really mind either way.
Of course, he would choose to continue.
Not just for the mission, nor just out of sympathy for Tazuna.
He wanted to see for himself whether, in this world altered by his own intervention, the fate of the Land of Waves would still follow its original course.
Would that merchant named Matsuo employ the [Demon of the Hidden Mist] behind the scenes?
Meeting Kakashi's probing gaze, Menma spoke slowly: "Ninja must certainly follow the rules, but above the rules, there are beliefs that must be upheld. To not act when seeing injustice is cowardice... to retreat when facing difficulty is not the Ninja Way."
"Since we have accepted the entrustment, understood the client's predicament, and assessed the potential risks... then, Kakashi-sensei, my choice is… to continue."
The 'Ninja Way' he spoke of was naturally not Naruto's straightforward declaration of 'say what you mean and mean what you say', but a code of conduct based on his own beliefs.
Kakashi looked at the three equally determined young Ninja before him, and a hint of a gentle smile finally rippled in his half-closed dead fish eye.
They all possessed the most precious quality of a Ninja: the perseverance not to give up easily even in adversity.
This reminded him of Minato, of Obito, of Rin...
And of that guy who always looked cold but cared more than anyone when it came to Naruto and Menma.
"I see..." Kakashi drawled, sighing as if troubled.
"Since my subordinates are so motivated, as their teacher, it seems I have no reason to back down either." He turned to Tazuna, who looked relieved and almost wept with joy, his tone becoming businesslike again.
"However, Tazuna-san, the mission rank must be raised to B-rank, and the corresponding commission will need adjustment. If you cannot pay the difference now, we can sign a deferred payment agreement. You can repay Konoha gradually after the bridge is completed and the Land of Waves' economy improves. This is non-negotiable."
"Th-thank you! Thank you so much!" Tazuna was incoherent with excitement, bowing repeatedly, tears welling up in his murky eyes.
He had thought this mission would be cancelled, and that he might be held accountable by Konoha. He never expected such a turn of events.
Kakashi said no more. He took out a blank mission scroll and a small writing brush from his rear ninja tool pouch, quickly writing on it with his knee as support, briefly explaining the encounter with the Kirigakure's Missing-Nin, the client's admission of concealed information, and the team's decision to continue the mission after comprehensive judgement, temporarily raising the rank to B-rank.
After writing, he bit his thumb and pressed a blood fingerprint at the end of the scroll.
"Summoning Technique!" Kakashi formed seals and pressed his hand to the ground.
A small cloud of white smoke burst open. As the smoke cleared, a pug wearing a small blue vest, its expression always carrying a hint of lethargy and dissatisfaction, appeared before everyone.
"Yo, Kakashi, long time no see. What's the trouble this time?" Pakkun drooped his eyelids, scratched his ear with a paw, his voice also lazy.
"Please deliver this scroll to the village as soon as possible, to the Third Hokage-sama." Kakashi handed the scroll to Pakkun.
Pakkun took the scroll in his mouth, grumbling indistinctly: "It's always me for errand runs... Next time, remember to prepare some top-quality bones."
With that, poof, he disappeared in another small puff of white smoke.
"Alright, end of the interlude." Kakashi dusted off his hands, his gaze sweeping over Menma, Naruto, and Hinata.
"Mission continues. Stay alert. The enemy might not be just this wave. Tazuna-san, please lead the way. We need to reach the ferry as soon as possible."
"Yes, Kakashi-sensei!" The three answered in unison, their focus noticeably sharper than before.
Naruto, however, pointed at the still unconscious Demon Brothers tied to the tree and asked curiously, "Huh? Kakashi-sensei, what about those two? Just leave them here?"
Kakashi glanced at the two Kirigakure's Missing-Nin, then seemingly casually scanned the depths of the quiet forest behind them, saying blandly, "Someone will come to deal with them. That's not our concern right now. Let's go."
Naruto gave a vague 'Oh', didn't think much of it, and turned to follow Tazuna, who had already started moving.
Menma's eyes flickered slightly. He understood something but said nothing, following the group with Hinata.
After the attack and the confession, Tazuna seemed to have aged several years. The previous belligerent energy he'd used to bicker with Naruto over sake had vanished, replaced by a gloomy silence. He just focused on leading the way, walking much faster than before.
The group walked along the coastline for about another hour until they reached a small town shrouded in a light sea mist.
The town was small, with mostly low wooden and stone buildings, carrying the unique fishy saltiness and dilapidated feel of a coastal fishing village.
Some small fishing boats bobbed gently on the waves at the dock.
Tazuna was clearly familiar with this place. He walked directly to a dark-skinned old fisherman mending a fishing net by the dock.
The two exchanged a few low words in the local dialect. The old fisherman looked up, sizing up Kakashi and the others warily, his gaze flickering especially when he saw their Konoha's forehead protectors.
He was silent for a moment, then looked again at Tazuna's anxious and earnest eyes. Finally, he slowly nodded and said, "You... get on the boat. The seas have been rough lately, and there's thick fog. Be careful."
With that, he said no more, turned, and pushed a small boat into the sea.
Kakashi and the others boarded the somewhat dilapidated small fishing boat and slowly sailed into the fog-covered sea.
Back at the clearing where the battle had taken place, not long after Kakashi and the others left, three figures silently landed before the Demon Brothers, who were still firmly tied to the tree, unconscious.
The newcomers all wore animal masks and the standard uniform of Konoha's Anbu, with Ninja Swords strapped to their backs.
The leader was tall, with purple hair flowing behind her. It was Anbu Captain, Uzuki Yugao.
The two beside her were, naturally, Sasuke and Sai.
Yugao took off her mask first, revealing a delicate face.
Sasuke and Sai removed their masks as well.
Yugao crouched down and carefully examined the Demon Brothers' injuries, especially the blackened, burn-like wounds from exploding tags and the deep, bone-deep cuts from steel shuriken.
Her brow furrowed slightly. "The injuries are severe, but vital spots were avoided. They won't die for now. The attacker's methods were ruthless and... quite 'luxurious'."
Yugao stood up and instructed Sai, "Sai, immediately send word back to the village. The mission rank is incorrect. Request further instructions and possible support."
Her judgement was clear. Whoever could employ two Chunin-level Missing-Nin as vanguards was likely at least a Special Jonin, possibly even a Jonin.
This might even exceed the scope of a B-rank mission. Although Kakashi was powerful, leading three Genin and a civilian needing protection into an unfamiliar environment against an unknown number of Jonin and other enemies was extremely risky.
"Understood." Sai was concise. He immediately took out a blank scroll and brush from his personal scroll and began writing quickly.
His handwriting was neat and clear, and he soon explained the situation.
After writing, he performed the Super Beast Imitating Drawing technique. An ink-colored pigeon 'came to life' from the scroll, took the scroll in its beak, flapped its wings, and flew towards Konoha.
Sasuke crouched on the other side, examining the remnants of the explosion and the scattered kunai more carefully.
His Sharingan was active. Using its dynamic vision and detailed observation, he clearly reconstructed part of the scene that had occurred moments ago in his mind.
Countless shuriken, each tied with an exploding tag, flying through the air, a precise area bombardment...
'The Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique... and a variation combined with exploding tags.' A flicker of solemnity passed through Sasuke's eyes.
'That guy Menma had already mastered a technique of this level?'
'Chakra Control, Shurikenjutsu, tactical application...'
'All of it demonstrated skill far beyond a Genin, even exceeding that of a Chunin.'
A strong sense of competition rose in Sasuke's heart.
'I had to become stronger!'
Just then, a faint sound of movement came from the forest behind them.
"Who?!" Yugao and Sasuke reacted instantly, almost simultaneously drawing their Ninja Swords, shifting their stances, and entering a combat posture.
Sai also stopped his actions, a brush already between his fingers.
"Hey hey hey, relax, it's me, it's me." A somewhat flippant voice sounded.
A tall figure with white hair, carrying a giant scroll on his back, stood on the road behind the three, a slightly mischievous smile on his face.
"Jiraiya-sama?" Yugao breathed a sigh of relief, but didn't immediately lower her Ninja Sword, her gaze scanning warily behind Jiraiya.
Sasuke also narrowed his eyes, because he sensed two more presences in the forest behind Jiraiya.
Jiraiya waved his hand, signaling them to relax, then stepped aside slightly.
Standing under a large tree not far away were two people.
They were the one-armed, black-haired young man who called himself Samoyan and the energetic, blonde-haired boy, Boruto, whom they had met briefly before in Konoha.
Adult Sasuke was leaning against the tree, his gaze calmly sweeping over the scene. His eyes shifted slightly, especially when he saw the two Kirigakure's Missing-Nin on the ground and the craters from the explosion.
Boruto, curious, peeked out, sizing up the three Anbu, his gaze finally landing on Young Sasuke, blinking.
"Jiraiya-sama, why are you here?" Yugao sheathed her Ninja Sword slowly, but her tone still held a question.
'Anbu movements were confidential. How had Jiraiya-sama found us so precisely?'
'And with two unknown outsiders?'
"Ah, well..." Jiraiya stroked his chin and chuckled. "We have a bit of a 'small mission' ourselves, heading towards the Land of Waves. We sensed Chakra Fluctuations here, so we came to check it out. Didn't expect it to be you."
His gaze swept over the Demon Brothers, then towards the direction Kakashi and the others had left, saying meaningfully, "Looks like Naruto's first C-rank mission came with a 'surprise'. But with Kakashi there, it's probably fine."
Yugao understood instantly.
As one of the Sannin, Jiraiya obviously knew that they, the Anbu, were secretly protecting the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki.
His appearance now, mentioning 'heading towards the Land of Waves', was clear enough.
He would take over, or at least share, the responsibility of secretly protecting the Jinchuriki.
"With Jiraiya-sama here, we are reassured." Yugao wisely didn't pry into the specific identities of Samoyan and Boruto.
Jiraiya is the Third Hokage's disciple, the Fourth Hokage's teacher, and one of Konoha's top combatants. His loyalty was unquestionable.
Having a Kage-level powerhouse watching over things from the shadows would indeed lessen the pressure on their squad, allowing them to focus on handling the two captives and any subsequent intelligence tracking.
"What about these two Kirigakure's Missing-Nin..." She looked at the unconscious Demon Brothers.
"Leave them to us," Jiraiya said, puffing out his chest, as if to say 'I've got this'. "I have some 'little questions' I want to ask them anyway."
"Yes, Jiraiya-sama. We'll leave this to you then." Yugao didn't hesitate. She signaled to Young Sasuke and Sai with her eyes.
The three put their masks back on, nodded slightly to Jiraiya, and vanished in a flicker.
After the Anbu trio left, Jiraiya's relaxed smile faded slightly.
He walked over to the Demon Brothers, crouched down, and expertly checked their injuries, clicking his tongue. "Tch, that kid is ruthless enough, and rich enough. But he did leave them alive."
Jiraiya turned and beckoned to Adult Sasuke and Boruto nearby.
Boruto immediately trotted over, looking curiously at the two blackened figures on the ground. "Old man, are these the bad guys who attacked Naruto? They don't look like much."
In his impression, enemies who could attack the Sixth Hokage and a younger Seventh Hokage should have been formidable.
Adult Sasuke also walked over slowly. His gaze didn't linger on the Demon Brothers but looked out towards the misty sea.
'The Land of Waves, Momochi Zabuza, Haku...'
Those memories surfaced again.
'This time, with Jiraiya accompanying them and myself lurking in the shadows, Naruto should be safe.'
'But, how had the Gato Group, which hired Zabuza and the Demon Brothers, turned into some unheard-of Matsuo Group?'
'How far off its original course had this timeline already veered?'
"Jiraiya-sama, what do you plan to do with them?" Adult Sasuke asked.
Jiraiya grinned. "Interrogate them, of course. See if we can dig up any information on this Matsuo Group, or the Missing-Nin leader behind them."