New Mission
"Of course, Hokage-sama! Could we get a B-rank mission this time?"
Yuyan resorted to the ultimate technique of every young shinobi—acting cute. Her large, sparkling eyes radiated childish charm as she launched her fiercest barrage of adorableness at the Third Hokage.
Bai Ye rubbed his face in exasperation. He had nearly failed their last C-rank mission. Where Yuyan got the gall to ask for a B-rank, he had no idea. Frankly, even the last mission felt a bit too intense for a mere C-rank.
"Well," Hiruzen Sarutobi replied, flipping through a stack of mission scrolls with a calm smile, "if you're willing to follow Hizashi's orders this time and not act independently, I can authorize a slightly more difficult mission."
He pulled out two scrolls from the pile and handed them to Hyūga Hizashi, glancing toward Yuyan.
"Hmm... alright, fine," Yuyan said with a reluctant sigh after a moment of exaggerated thinking. She'd completely ignored Bai Ye and Yue, deciding on her own as usual.
Not that Bai Ye or Yue minded. They knew Yuyan didn't want to be protected by Hizashi again. She had insisted before that she needed to improve faster and prove herself.
"You have three days to prepare. Another team will be departing alongside you," Hiruzen added, selecting one of the scrolls and passing it directly to Hizashi.
"A mission that requires two teams?" Yuyan's eyes lit up with excitement. "That means it must be super difficult!"
She clenched her fists as her imagination ran wild—two squads brutally defeated, one lone kunoichi rising from the ashes to claim a hard-won victory...
Bai Ye, watching her giggle to herself, could practically see the delusions dancing through her head.
"By the way," Hiruzen added as Bai Ye was about to step outside, "I've reviewed the technique you've been working on. The power and practicality have improved significantly. Keep this up, and you'll become an outstanding shinobi."
The words froze Bai Ye in his tracks.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama. I'll do my best!" he forced a smile and turned quickly, collapsing the moment he was out of sight.
This was bad. He hadn't even officially submitted his new Bakudō and Hadō techniques for evaluation. He'd only tested them briefly this morning. That the Hokage already knew meant he was being watched. Did that mean the Sandaime was using the Telescope Technique on him?
If he did something even remotely embarrassing, would it be broadcast like a live show?
"Bai Ye, what's wrong? Shouldn't you be happy Hokage-sama praised you?" Yue asked, lowering her voice as she shut the door behind them. She leaned in close, noting his expression looked as though someone had just died.
"It's not the praise I'm worried about, it's just…"
He trailed off. How was he supposed to say: The old man might be spying on me from a crystal ball and I don't want to be publicly executed for scratching my butt in private?
"Fine! If you don't want to say it, whatever!" Yue snapped, annoyed. She was just trying to be concerned, but now she turned her back on him, walking off stiffly.
"I—"
Bai Ye wanted to cry but had no tears. He'd been such a decent kid once, and now Yuyan had rubbed off on him, turning him into a moody wreck.
Still, he couldn't deny the lingering anxiety. Why was the Hokage paying attention to him, a boy who couldn't even use standard ninjutsu properly?
He failed to realize that at his age, even designing an ordinary technique was rare. Let alone developing original methods—the average student struggled just to learn the Three Basic Techniques.
If someone like him kept growing at this pace, who knew what advanced techniques he'd eventually create? Even if they weren't battlefield-ready, they could significantly enrich Konoha's arsenal.
"Sensei! What's the mission? Let us see!"
Yuyan immediately pestered Hizashi the moment they exited the Hokage Residence. She bounced on her heels like a child with too much sugar.
"Stop shaking me," Hizashi said, suppressing a sigh. "This isn't the place. We'll go over the mission at the training ground."
She was still immature, no question—but he appreciated her enthusiasm. In time, he hoped it would give way to experience and caution.
Being a shinobi wasn't a noble profession. The longer you stayed in the field, the more you realized how many missions ended in death... and how quickly that kind of life wore you down.
In Yuyan's case, her excitement was also understandable. As a Hyūga who hadn't yet been branded with the Caged Bird Seal, her status in the clan remained uncertain. She lived under heavy restrictions.
Even inside Konoha, she wasn't fully safe. Attacks could come from rival factions. She was forbidden from leaving the village without escort, and under no circumstances was she allowed beyond the Fire Country's borders.
Her Byakugan made her a target. If enemy shinobi learned of her location, they'd send entire squads to capture her. Survival odds? Almost none.
Eventually, the four of them arrived at Training Ground Three. Hizashi didn't waste time.
"I've reviewed the mission brief. Our objective is to travel to the border between the Land of Rain and the Land of Rivers, retrieve intelligence on Sunagakure's current movements from our frontline forces, and return with it safely."
He incinerated the scroll with a basic Fire Release technique and continued.
"Of course, that's only part of the mission. I'm withholding details like rendezvous points and passcodes for now, in case of any unexpected leaks."
"That's it?" Yue asked, frowning. "Why does this need two teams? Seems like sending just you would be enough. It doesn't add up."
"I haven't finished," Hizashi said calmly. "The other team is heading to the border between the Land of Grass and the Land of Waterfalls. Their intel pertains to Iwagakure."
He glanced around at the three Genin. "We'll travel together to Qianyu Town. From there, we split up and complete our respective missions. If either team fails to return to Qianyu by the appointed time, it'll be treated as a contingency, and the other team is to provide support."
Bai Ye was about to speak again, but Hizashi raised a hand. "I know what you're thinking. This isn't just an errand run. These are wartime maneuvers—covert intel retrievals that may determine our strategy. Be prepared."
Yuyan just looked elated. She didn't grasp the full weight of the mission yet, only that it was crucial.