Chapter 55 – The Great Boar Barbecue and Mission Rewards
Obito's shout rang out at the same instant as the boar's furious bellow.
Shizune was yanked aside by Rin just in time, both rolling toward a nearby tree as a huge blur of muscle and tusks tore through the underbrush. Akimichi Tangdō's bag of chips flew from his hand in a perfect arc—straight into the beast's face.
The boar snorted, hooves gouging deep furrows into the soil, crimson eyes locking on Obito, who was nervously clutching a kunai.
"Fire Release: Flame Bullet!"
Asuma's hand signs flashed; a ball of fire shot past, grazing the boar's bristled back and filling the air with the stench of scorched fur. The pain only enraged it further.
Obito scrambled up a branch, flinging his kunai—but his arm trembled, and the blade stuck uselessly in the mud near the creature's flank.
"Hey! Over here, you overgrown pork roast!"
Guy burst out from the side, his leg whipping through the air. His kick slammed square into the base of the boar's tusk, snapping its head sideways with a jarring crack. Sparks danced as ivory scraped against his shin guards.
"Aim for the belly!" shouted Shikaji.
His warning was drowned out by the sound of splintering wood as the boar plowed through a birch trunk and wheeled around. Shikaji's shadow had just taken shape—but the beast lunged clear of its range.
In that instant, Asuma threw himself forward, landing a solid kick to the boar's head. The impact staggered the animal—but the recoil sent Asuma tumbling backward into the dirt.
"Partial Expansion Technique!"
Tangdō's fist ballooned in size and crashed down like a hammer, forcing the beast onto its knees. Rin seized the chance, hurling a weighted rope that looped tightly around its hind legs.
But the boar roared and thrashed, dragging Rin clear off the ground.
"Let go!"
Shizune's kunai flashed, severing the rope just before Rin was thrown against a tree.
At that very moment, Obito leapt from the branches above—five meters up—his kunai glinting in the light.
It drove straight into the boar's right eye.
The animal's shriek rattled the canopy, sending a storm of leaves tumbling down.
Blinded and berserk, the boar charged forward—straight toward a stone outcrop, with Obito clinging desperately to its head.
Taichi didn't hesitate.
Launching off the trunk of a nearby tree, he soared through the air, chakra flaring around his fist.
The punch landed square on the beast's snout with a sharp, bone-snapping crack.
The boar reeled, crashing full-force into the moss-covered boulder. Obito rolled away just in time, landing hard and tearing his uniform across the back.
"Earth Release: Rock Pillars!"
Asuma slammed his palms to the ground, and jagged spires of stone shot upward, trapping the boar's hind legs.
Kakashi darted in—his blade flashed, biting three inches deep into the creature's throat.
Guy followed with a sweeping kick that struck the boar's skull, driving Kakashi's blade in another inch.
With a final thunderous crash, the beast toppled, tusks gouging into the dirt.
It shuddered once… and fell still.
---
For a moment, the only sound was their ragged breathing.
Obito slumped against a tree root, rubbing at the scrapes on his elbow. Rin's braid had come loose on one side, and Taichi was kneeling beside Guy, the soft green glow of Mystical Palm Technique mending the bruises on his shin.
Dark red blood spread slowly across the bed of fallen leaves beneath the fallen boar.
"Dinner's settled," Taichi said at last, nudging the carcass with his foot.
Obito immediately perked up.
"Then I call dibs on the ribs!"
The girls grimaced at the sight of the massive corpse, but Tangdō was already rummaging through his pouch, pulling out bottles of seasoning with an eager grin.
---
By dusk, the clearing beside the stream outside the Forest of Death was alive with firelight and laughter once more.
Smoke rose lazily into the evening sky as Taichi sliced the boar's hind leg into thin, even strips.
The marbled meat shimmered golden in the firelight, juices hissing as they hit the flames.
Obito, triumphant at last, had caught the fish he'd failed to snag that morning and was proudly grilling them over his own fire.
Kakashi wordlessly tended to skewers of ribs, fat dripping into the coals with a steady sizzle.
"This burnt one's for last place," Kakashi said dryly, flicking a charred hunk toward Obito.
"You did that on purpose, you white-haired menace!" Obito snapped back.
Their bickering drew another round of laughter. Despite the scratches and bruises, everyone's spirits were high.
---
When the moon climbed above the treetops, the forest fell quiet again.
The group lay scattered around the dying embers of the campfire, lulled by warmth and exhaustion.
Tangdō's belly rose and fell like a drum, still stuffed to bursting, yet he managed to chew one last half-skewer of mushrooms.
Obito and Kakashi's argument had long since faded into sleepy mumbling.
Beneath the silver light of the moon, they drifted toward dreams—
young shinobi sharing food, laughter, and the faint first taste of danger,
their hearts unknowingly preparing for the long, harsh road ahead.
The night sky glittered with stars, signaling that it was already quite late.
One by one, the group said their goodbyes and went their separate ways.
As the last of them disappeared down the path, Taichi and Kakashi exchanged a brief farewell.
"We'll meet again after the next mission. Stay safe."
"You too. Stay safe."
The simple words lingered in the quiet air long after they parted.
---
As Taichi approached his home, he noticed a shadowy figure standing motionless by his gate.
Instinctively, his hand drifted toward the hilt of his short sword.
Ever since Danzo's ambush, that reflexive wariness had become second nature.
But when he drew closer and recognized the familiar outline, his tension melted into a sigh of relief.
"Captain Yamaguchi," Taichi exhaled, pressing a hand to his chest. "You nearly scared me half to death.
Standing in the shadows like that—if I hadn't recognized you, I might've drawn my blade first and asked questions later."
Stepping into the lamplight, Captain Yamaguchi Masasuke chuckled, though there was a faint trace of confusion in his eyes.
For someone Taichi's age, the boy's reaction had been… unusually sharp.
That kind of constant vigilance was something he'd expect from an ANBU veteran, not a six-year-old genin.
Still, everyone had their secrets—and Yamaguchi wasn't one to pry.
"You're back late," the captain remarked with an easy smile. "Were you out training again?"
"Not today," Taichi replied, unlocking his door. "I was at a class reunion with some old friends. Time slipped away from us."
He pushed the door open and gestured politely.
"You must've been waiting a while, Captain. Please, come in."
Yamaguchi shook his head. The smile faded.
"No need. I just came to deliver something—and to pass on an official message from the village."
His tone turned formal.
"First, this is your mission payment."
He withdrew a thick stack of bills from his flak jacket and handed it to Taichi.
"Second, the Hokage has issued a secrecy order. You are strictly forbidden from mentioning anything about the intelligence operative we rescued on our way back—under any circumstances."
The warmth in his expression was gone, replaced by the gravity of command.
"Understand this, Taichi: once a gag order is issued, it's absolute. Breaking it isn't just a mistake—it's a crime, one with consequences even I can't protect you from."
Taichi straightened, nodding seriously.
"Understood, Captain."
He could guess from the tone of that warning just how important the rescued spy's information must have been.
Accepting the stack of bills, Taichi blinked when he realized the amount.
"Captain, this seems… excessive. You didn't forget to keep your own share, did you?" he teased lightly.
Yamaguchi chuckled.
"No mistake. Both operations were reclassified as A-rank missions—the escort mission and the rescue. The Hokage insisted on full compensation for everyone involved."
Then, with a small nod, he turned to leave.
"The payment's delivered, and the message is given. Get some rest, and don't forget the team's next assembly time."
"Got it. Thank you, Captain."
Taichi watched his mentor's figure disappear at the bend in the street before finally stepping back inside and closing the door.
---
In the quiet of his home, Taichi entered his study and sank into his chair.
His mind drifted back to the reunion—
to the laughter, the camaraderie…
and especially Rin's uncertain eyes when she had asked about her future.
A faint sigh escaped him.
"When the world prospers, share its fortune; when it falters, preserve your own virtue."
That old saying echoed in his thoughts.
He hadn't come to this shinobi world just to live quietly and protect his own small corner.
If he had the power to change things—if he could prevent even one tragedy from happening—
then he would.
"I'll start with Rin," he murmured.
Sitting upright, he pulled out a fresh scroll and dipped his brush into ink.
Across the top, he carefully wrote the title:
"Comprehensive Guide to Medical Ninjutsu: Foundational Principles and Practice."
Line by line, he began recording everything he'd learned—from his first fumbling attempts at Healing Jutsu to mastering the Mystical Palm Technique.
He detailed every difficulty he encountered, every book he studied, every insight and moment of clarity.
By the time he reached the final section, he had even included a step-by-step guide to both Healing Jutsu and Mystical Palm, along with their critical points and safety notes.
Hours slipped by unnoticed.
When Taichi finally looked up, the clock had passed midnight.
Stretching his stiff shoulders, he smiled faintly at the neatly written scroll.
It wasn't just ink on paper—it was hope.
"This should really help Rin and Shizune," he whispered.
Carefully, he placed the scroll aside to let the ink dry, ensuring it wouldn't smudge.
Tomorrow, he would copy a second version for Shizune.
For now, he washed up, dimmed the lantern, and let himself rest—
his resolve firmer than ever beneath the watchful stars outside his window.