Super Ninja

The Hokage's Administration was unusually crowded today. There were more shinobi passing here and there, more administrative staff, and some people in strange robes.

 

"What’s going on?" I asked the captain as we walked past a short, bald man who was sitting in the middle of the corridor meditating. He was dressed in simple white garments and black long-sleeved shirts that covered his arms and a bit of his neck. To add more description, his clothes were clean and modest, and his manner of sitting was full of grace and tranquility.

 

As we passed by him, I noticed a dragon figure on his back, along with the symbol for "Fire." This monk, who looked very much like a man of his profession, paid no attention to what was happening around him. I wish I had such calmness and indifference to the environment. His face expressed peace and deep concentration, and his breathing was even and slow, as if he was deeply immersed in meditation.

 

"He’s a monk from the Fire Temple," the captain explained calmly, providing more information. "They existed in our country even before Konoha was founded. Tough opponents if you ever face them."

 

"Have you ever faced them?" Ayamane asked.

 

"Never had to," Captain Kiochi shrugged. "But I’ve heard they have talents that have served or even still serve in the daimyo’s guard. In any case, they must know something. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t have survived for so long."

 

"And what role do they play in society?" I asked again.

 

"They're monks," the captain replied calmly, waving his hand. "They live off donations and rare part-time jobs. That’s it."

 

It was clear he didn’t want to talk about them anymore, so we didn’t push the topic. If Sensei wants, he’ll tell us more... if he knows more.

 

We received our mission in the familiar office. Naturally, the Hokage wasn’t there. He had other matters to attend to.

 

"Mission distributor," the captain addressed the shinobi who handed out assignments. "My team is ready for more challenging missions."

 

"Oh," the distributor stretched out the word and gave us a quick glance. "Alright."

 

He quickly grabbed another folder and pulled out the first paper. After briefly opening it, he took out a thick envelope and handed it to the captain, who accepted it without further questions and said:

 

"Thank you."

 

"Good luck," was all the distributor wished us.

 

We left the Administration, which still resembled a disturbed anthill, and headed to the gazebo we were familiar with. There, we sat down, and the captain unsealed the envelope and handed us the mission briefing papers.

 

"Read carefully," he said.

 

For a while, silence reigned in the gazebo as we all studied the mission laid out on paper. The briefing sheet indicated the mission’s rank, a brief objective, and what needed to be done. In the next section, there was a description of the task and the potential dangers. Then came the information about the client and their status. After that, the mission’s duration and the team composition were listed. In the penultimate section were special instructions and a brief analysis from ANBU. Finally, the last section indicated the reward.

 

Our mission was C-rank. The reward was equivalent to twenty D-rank missions, which was quite good, especially for genin. What did we have to do? We were to escort a small caravan of goods from the Land of Iron and the Land of Waterfalls. The final destination of our journey was the city of Hashi, located on the Hangetsu Peninsula. Why exactly there wasn’t explained. But that wasn’t our concern if it wasn’t mentioned.

 

The caravan consisted of seven wagons managed by two merchants. One merchant was from the Land of Iron, and the other was from the Land of Waterfalls. Their status was marked as reliable.

 

"Captain, what does 'reliable status' mean?" Ayamane asked.

 

"It means this client has used our village’s services more than once and has never been caught trying to cheat or deceive the village," the captain began calmly. "Reliable clients get a small discount on missions, which over time accumulates into quite significant sums. But for Konoha, it’s profitable."

 

"Why?" Shiko asked.

 

"Why is it profitable?" the captain repeated, and seeing her nod, he answered. "It reduces costs for the client, making such work very beneficial for them. It means the client can invest in developing their business, which will increase its value in the future. Reputation work also plays a role."

 

Yamanaka seemed not to fully understand what the captain said, but she didn’t ask for clarification. If I were in her place, I would have asked. However, I understand why it’s profitable to offer discounts to regular clients. It’s one of the paths to success for some types of businesses.

 

The mission document indicated that our opponents would be chakra-beasts and bandits. The chances of encountering shinobi-robbers or missing-nin were almost zero. "Almost" doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen at all. It could, but the chances... are close to zero. ANBU’s comment was also simple: "No political complications are expected."

 

"Sensei," I turned to the captain. "Can you explain ANBU’s comment a bit more? I think I understand what it means... but still."

 

"Very often, missions may involve crossing non-friendly, neutral, or allied countries," the captain replied. "Take our clients as an example. While they were on their way here, they were escorted by Konoha shinobi from the start of their journey to Konoha. This means that Konoha shinobi operated in the Land of Iron and the Land of Waterfalls at that time. The likelihood of encountering shinobi from other major countries is quite high... and this can lead to undesirable encounters and political consequences. I don’t think you’ll face such a situation because genin almost never receive such missions."

 

"Thank you," I nodded at his explanation. That’s pretty much what I thought.

 

"Any more questions?" the captain asked us. There were no questions. "As you can see, the mission starts the day after tomorrow. This means we’ll meet tomorrow to prepare for it. Don’t worry, there won’t be any training, per se."

 

A sigh of relief could be heard almost across the galaxy.

 

"Or maybe there will be..." the captain muttered mockingly, but then continued more calmly. "Alright. We’ll meet tomorrow at ten in the morning at the training ground. You can sleep a bit longer. Tonight’s task: pack your travel bags. You should still have the list from the Academy. We’ll check everything tomorrow. You can take off the weights if you want."

 

"Yes, sir," we responded.

 

"Dismissed," the captain waved his hand and disappeared.

 

"Tomorrow should be a good day," Shiko said afterward. She stretched and tried to relax a bit.

 

"Don’t jinx it," I blurted out.

 

"What does that mean?" Ayamane asked curiously. "Why 'don’t jinx it'?"

 

"I heard that crows can bring bad luck with their cawing," I quickly answered, mentally hitting myself on the head.

 

"Is that so," Nara drawled. "Well then... yeah, don’t jinx it, Shiko."

 

"I’m not a crow!" Shiko exclaimed with slight annoyance. "I have light hair. Pfft."

 

We couldn’t help but smile at that. Shiko looked funny when she was playfully indignant.

 

"Alright," I sighed, looking at the sun slowly setting behind the horizon. "We need to pack and show our things tomorrow. So... see you later."

 

"Yeah, see you!" Nara nodded.

 

After saying goodbye to the girls, I headed home, where I told my parents about the upcoming mission. Mom immediately started rushing around, trying to help me pack, until Dad shouted at her. She stopped fussing around, and I quickly started packing my mission bag, following the checklist.

 

At the Shinobi Academy, we were given several different lists indicating what to take for various types of missions. My backpack didn’t turn out to be particularly large, as the rules stated that our team captain had to carry some of the supplies.

 

Having packed everything, I decided to relax a bit and rest. For that, I headed to one of the hot springs, without taking off my weights. Let them stay on me, allowing me to continue my training.

 

The hot spring was located not far from our house. It was a large building where you could not only soak in hot water but also get a relaxing massage or other services. A rather popular place among civilians and shinobi.

 

After paying the entrance fee, I headed to the changing room, where I was greeted by a cozy interior and a pleasant atmosphere. Quickly changing, I refreshed myself, thoroughly washing off all the dirt from the long road. Then, feeling cleaner and more refreshed, I went to the hot spring.

 

As I approached the spring, I felt the dense steam that enveloped it so thickly that it was barely possible to discern the surrounding details. In this place, warmth and humidity merged, creating the perfect atmosphere for relaxation and recovery. A few people were already occupying spots in the spring, but many corners remained free, inviting new visitors.

 

I stepped into the hot water and leaned back on the warm stone, which perfectly heated my body. The warmth penetrated every cell of my being, relaxing its tension and improving blood circulation. Soon I began to feel sleepy, and I gladly allowed myself to relax, indulging in the pleasant feeling of warmth and comfort in this wonderful place.

 

I woke up to the sound of water splashing next to me. Opening one eye, I saw a tall man with short black hair. It turned out that most of the spots around were already taken, which I hadn’t noticed at first.

 

"Don’t worry," the man said. "I don’t bite."

 

A smirk appeared on his face, and from his sharp teeth, it was clear that he... actually might bite.

 

"Alright," I nodded.

 

After that, neither of us hurried to talk. The man just sat with his eyes closed, while I pondered the upcoming mission. This would be my first long mission outside the village, lasting more than a month. The walk to the destination alone would take almost twenty-five days. We would return faster.

 

Realizing I had rested enough, I got out of the spring and felt the man’s gaze on me as I did. He wasn’t looking into my eyes...

 

"Not bad," he nodded his head, then leaned back and closed his eyes again.

 

I didn’t even want to think about what he meant by that. At home, I had a quick bite and went to bed. As soon as my head touched the pillow, I fell asleep immediately.

 

I woke up at dawn and planned to lie in bed a little longer, but reminded myself that while I’m resting, someone is training hard, trying to overcome their weaknesses. I should keep training too, not stopping to rest.

 

With those thoughts in mind, I got up. I quickly got ready, had breakfast, packed lunch, and headed to the training ground with my bags. Upon arrival, I noticed Captain Kiochi, who was sitting in a chair reading a book.

 

"Good morning, Machine," he greeted me. "I see you decided to train again, didn’t you?"

 

"Yes, Sensei," I replied, placing my packed bag under a tree.

 

"Excellent," he smiled, closing the book. "We have free time, so let’s use it wisely. We’ll work on improving your technique."

 

Until ten in the morning, the captain helped me refine my technique to make it even more effective. There was some progress, but I can’t say that I reached the jonin level in just a few hours.

 

"Let me show you what you should aim for," the captain said. "Earth Style! Stone Spear!"

 

In an instant, a spear made from the very essence of the Earth shot out of the ground with astonishing speed. Its tip pierced one tree, then another, as if they were mere paper targets before this power. Completing its path, the spear crashed into a massive rock, splitting it in two with a powerful crack.

 

"Wow," was all I could say. Indeed, what he demonstrated was the kind of power I aspire to achieve and will surely reach.

 

"Exactly," Sensei smirked.

 

At ten o’clock, the girls arrived. They didn’t drag a lot of bags with them, as one might think. Ayamane and Shiko packed everything exactly according to the list. With their arrival, we began to check our bags.

 

The captain was quite satisfied with what we had packed. There was no reason for disappointment since we followed the lists prepared by more experienced shinobi. After the captain double-checked our packing, we moved on to the theoretical review of guarding important objects, from static to active. Special attention was given to active guarding, as our task was to safely escort the caravan from point A to point B.

 

"Well, it seems you remember the theory," the captain acknowledged. "Let’s move on to practice."

 

He formed a concentration seal, and ten large stone blocks appeared on the training ground, lined up in a row. Then he created several dozen clones, which transformed into merchants, and another dozen clones, which turned into bandits and dissolved into the underbrush.

 

"So, the first scenario," he began, his voice strict and serious. "You are guarding a caravan traveling through a sinister and dangerous territory. Remember, several trade caravans have recently disappeared here. Distribute yourselves strategically to your positions."

 

We had already studied various guard tactics at the Academy, each depending on the size of the caravan and the number of shinobi in the team. It was important for the most experienced and strong shinobi to take the central position in the formation. This allowed them to quickly assist both the front and rear of the caravan if necessary, especially in the case of an ambush, as an attack on these vulnerable points often caused panic and chaos.

 

We carefully positioned ourselves around the caravan, taking our places. The merchant clones played their roles perfectly, chatting lively with each other and convincingly interacting, creating the illusion of a real caravan. Tension was building, and suddenly the head and tail of the caravan were engulfed in thick smoke from smoke bombs.

 

"Ambush!" I shouted. "Everyone to defense!"

 

The bandit clones emerged from the forest. They moved and attacked like ordinary people, not showing jonin-level skills.

 

After "defeating" all the bandit clones, we proceeded to discuss what had happened. The captain pointed out numerous mistakes we had made.

 

"Firstly," he began, his words like icy arrows. "Losing the goods is the last thing any merchant wants to see or hear. Secondly, no merchant wants to lose their life. Yes, for many, money is important, but life is even more important. Rarely will you meet a merchant who values money more than their own life."

 

Captain Kiochi paused, his gaze sweeping across our faces as if searching for understanding.

 

"During this attack, your client lost almost their entire business," he pointed to the destroyed "wagons," which were now little more than a pile of twisted metal and scattered goods. "Besides that, they lost several key people for their trade. Some of them had been with them for many years, not just as employees but as loyal friends. What kind of rating do you think you’ll get for such a mission?"

 

The captain waited for our response, and in the silence, broken only by a light breeze, we all grasped the depth of our mistakes and the significance of the lesson we had just learned.

 

"Failure," I mumbled, as if the letters were too heavy for my tongue. It was as clear as the bright sunlight at noon, leaving no shadow of doubt.

 

"Exactly," the captain said, his voice serious and a bit tired. "With such losses, you’ve failed your mission. What are the consequences of this, who can tell me?"

 

A heavy silence hung around. None of us were quick to answer, as if each of us was trying to become invisible. I remained silent too, feeling the air in my lungs grow heavier.

 

"Well?" Captain Kiochi asked again, his gaze piercing each of us like a sword seeking a weak spot in armor. "First of all, failing this mission damages the village's reputation, results in lost future profits, and drives away the client. You won’t get praised for that. Understand?"

 

"Yes," we answered him, but our voices sounded like a chorus of uncertainty, as if they didn’t belong to us but to some distant, insignificant creature. Our words, similar to bleating, scattered in the air, carrying no confidence or comfort.

 

"I hope so," he said, his voice firm and unwavering as if he were forging his decision right before our eyes. "Once more."

 

All his clones rose as if they hadn’t just been engaged in a fierce battle; their movements were synchronized and precise as if they were parts of a single whole. They took their positions, forming an almost living line of people. The air was filled with tension and anticipation, as if the very atmosphere was trembling in anticipation of what was to come.

 

We also took our positions, feeling every muscle tense, ready for action. Our gazes crossed, exchanging silent promises to be better, faster, stronger. We stood in anticipation, our bodies motionless, but our minds raced, trying to predict what this new round would bring.

 

I wonder what will happen this time? This question hung in the air, filling each of us with a mix of anxiety and excitement. Anything was possible, and each of us was ready to accept the challenge, whatever it might be, and whatever the captain had up his sleeve. I'm sure he has a few interesting scenarios in store.