Two-Person Team
"Sensei Orochimaru, is it really okay to send Bai Ye on such a dangerous mission alone?"
Anko Mitarashi (Hongdou) stared at the untouched breakfast in front of her. It looked delicious, but she had no appetite.
In the quiet dining hall, only the three of them—Orochimaru and his two students—were seated. The atmosphere was sparse and somewhat lonely.
"It's fine. I don't stand out. Just a change of clothes, and no one will notice."
Bai Ye was eating casually, utterly unfazed by the idea of infiltrating the Hidden Mist Village. He acted as though he were going on a sightseeing trip rather than a covert mission.
He'd gone over the mission intel thoroughly the night before. The Hidden Mist had recently imposed martial law, cutting off entry and exit. Such abnormal behavior had drawn the attention of Konoha's upper ranks—likely other villages had noticed too.
Bai Ye had his own theory: the infamous Blood Mist policy was likely being implemented. The original manga didn't pinpoint the exact start of that brutal era under Yagura Karatachi's rule, but it was known to occur around this time.
Still, if he couldn't confirm anything, he'd just chalk it up to the Blood Mist period and report back accordingly.
"That may be true, but it's still one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations. Shouldn't you go with him, Orochimaru-sensei? I don't think he should be on his own."
Anko frowned. The risk was obvious: if Bai Ye was discovered, even a single high-ranking Mist shinobi could kill him. He'd be deep in enemy territory, with no backup or means of contacting Konoha if things went wrong.
"I never said Bai Ye would be going alone."
Orochimaru paused mid-sentence to cut a bite of steak and bring it to his mouth.
"There are multiple teams involved. Other villages will be sending operatives too. It's not as isolated as you think."
His voice was slightly muffled as he chewed.
"Besides, Bai Ye earned the rank of Chūnin on his own merit. He's no longer a child. He needs to carry out missions of this caliber now."
He swallowed, then continued cutting his food with a detached elegance.
"Lord Orochimaru, here is the latest update from the village."
A masked shinobi suddenly appeared, kneeling before Orochimaru and offering a scroll with both hands.
Bai Ye and Anko didn't react much—they were used to this. Although only three of them lived inside the base, plenty of support personnel remained stationed outside, managing logistics, security, and provisions.
"The village has finalized the personnel. You'll depart as soon as you're ready."
Orochimaru glanced at the scroll, a sly smile tugging at his lips.
"Why so rushed? I was planning to use the next few days for training..."
Bai Ye's face soured as he tore into his steak, venting his frustration through the cutlery. His Zanpakutō was on the verge of evolving, but now he had to leave just before a breakthrough. It was maddening.
"You're such a training junkie."
Anko gave him a side glance. Sometimes she suspected he and Might Guy were long-lost brothers—except Bai Ye didn't talk about youth every five minutes.
---
That Afternoon...
"Who's your teammate? Why aren't they here yet?"
Anko and Bai Ye waited under a tree near the village entrance, scanning the area.
Bai Ye's current outfit was bland and nondescript. His face was smeared with dust to obscure his features, and his Zanpakutō was wrapped in rags and slung over his back like an old tool.
He and Anko had put the look together to avoid drawing attention. She was there mainly to double-check that nothing about his appearance might blow his cover.
"I really think I'd be better off alone. Teaming up seems unnecessary."
He was about to leave when Anko grabbed his arm, scolding him. The mission was too dangerous for solo action.
There were four teams in total, each consisting of two operatives. Bai Ye had already met the other three.
Two of them were standard ANBU squads—masks, armor, and all. Clearly intended to operate from the shadows.
The third pair looked more like civilians, possibly genin or fresh chūnin—young and unremarkable. Exactly the type other villages wouldn't bother tracking.
Judging by the pattern, Bai Ye had assumed his partner would also be low-profile. That assumption made him uneasy—he didn't like the idea of being slowed down by an inexperienced or mediocre teammate.
And now that they were late, he was almost certain they'd be a liability.
"Hey—Kazuhiko? Long time no see. What's with the new look? Where's your gourd?"
Just as Bai Ye's patience was wearing thin, he spotted a familiar figure in the distance. It was the first time they'd seen each other since the Chūnin Exams.
Kazuhiko's usual heavy gear and gourd were gone. Dressed in a plain black outfit, with his sunglasses still on, he looked like a different person. If Bai Ye hadn't seen his face during the Exams, he wouldn't have recognized him.
"Hidden Mist. Mission."
Kazuhiko's tone was as blunt as ever. No change there.
"You're the one teaming up with me?"
Bai Ye raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.
"Sorry I'm late. Let's go."
Kazuhiko didn't sound particularly sorry. Without waiting for a response, he walked straight toward the village gate.
"I don't doubt his strength, but Bai Ye—are you sure you can work with a block of ice like that?"
Anko watched him walk away with a sigh. She had a feeling Bai Ye's mission was going to be even harder than expected.
"What choice do I have? I'm not thrilled either."
Bai Ye muttered with resignation. Honestly, he might've preferred a partner who did nothing over someone this cold and rigid.
Whether or not the mission would succeed, one thing was certain: it was going to be a painfully awkward trip.
"Good luck~"
Anko waved casually as she watched Bai Ye follow Kazuhiko out of the village.
Then she turned and walked back. Orochimaru had granted her a short vacation—and she intended to enjoy every second of it.
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