"Hayashi, is your injury fully healed now?"
Orochimaru asked immediately as Hayashi arrived.
"It's completely recovered," Hayashi replied hesitantly.
Whenever Orochimaru inquired about his physical condition, it was never simple concern. The real question was whether Hayashi was ready to return to active missions.
Having been tested and manipulated before, Hayashi understood the pattern. Orochimaru's questions often led to a subtle push to exploit him. That's why he hesitated.
His injury wasn't serious, and Tsunade was watching closely. There was no room even for a small white lie.
Orochimaru looked satisfied at the answer and nodded. "Good. I have a new mission for you."
"A mission? Sensei… are you serious?" Hayashi's eyes widened in surprise.
Orochimaru, however, never teased his disciples. He maintained his usual cold composure.
Hayashi exhaled, realizing he had no choice. Ninjas seldom refuse orders from their commanders. In wartime, disobedience was unthinkable. Even if the mission seemed impossible or suicidal, a shinobi must comply—unless he wished to abandon the village entirely.
"Sensei, what is the mission?" he asked, steeling himself.
"Our conflict with the Sand Village may continue for some time," Orochimaru began, producing a document. "Recent intelligence shows a large, unexplained shipment appearing in Sunagakure. Evidence suggests that these supplies were sold by merchants from the Land of Fire."
Orochimaru continued, "There are two possibilities. Either these merchants are acting without the Daimyo's knowledge, selling our country's grain at inflated prices, or the sales have the Daimyo's approval."
He handed the file to Hayashi. "Your task is to investigate this."
The tent fell silent as Hayashi absorbed the information. Any shinobi hearing this for the first time would be stunned. Orochimaru had waited deliberately, knowing the gravity of the situation.
"Shouldn't the Hokage negotiate with the Daimyo?" Hayashi finally asked.
Orochimaru considered this. "I thought the same initially, but you may not fully understand the Third Hokage's personality. Negotiation alone won't yield results. The Daimyo wouldn't admit wrongdoing and at best would offer Konoha some supplies as a token gesture."
Hayashi nodded, realizing the truth. Waiting for the Hokage to act could take months, perhaps until the Third Shinobi World War escalated further. This delay would cost lives.
Orochimaru, despite his notorious reputation, acted for Konoha's benefit. There were limits to what the Hokage could do, but skilled ninjas could intervene discreetly.
"Mission rank?" Hayashi asked, now fully focused.
"B," Orochimaru replied. "You haven't been to the Daimyo's residence before, so proceed with caution. Expect possible interference from trade association ninjas. This is why it's a B-rank assignment."
Hayashi absorbed the details. "How long is the mission duration?"
"Standard B-rank: fifteen days. Any unexpected situations, notify me via Dabai or other secure methods."
Orochimaru's hoarse voice continued, "I'll mark this mission confidential. Only you and Tsunade will have access."
"Understood, Orochimaru-sensei," Hayashi nodded, preparing to brief his teammates.
A B-rank mission could be tricky. Beyond the Daimyo's hidden presence, the trade association might hire Sand Village ninjas to protect their interests. In such a case, the mission could escalate to A-rank.
Facing Jonin-level opponents alone would make it effectively A-rank, given their experience and combat ability. But Hayashi was determined—finish the mission quickly, and return to Konoha.
Half an hour ago, he had been reminiscing about the comforts of Konoha. Now, with Orochimaru's orders in hand, he felt the harsh reality of the shinobi world pressing down on him.
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