One hour later, at the main gate of Konoha Village.
Naruto Uzumaki was buzzing with energy, bouncing around like a monkey just released from its cage.
"Let's go! Let's go! We're finally leaving the village!"
Sasuke Uchiha leaned coolly against a gate pillar, hands in his pockets, glancing at the noisy Naruto out of the corner of his eye with an expression that said, "I don't know this idiot."
Karin Uzumaki stood quietly to the side, carefully checking her ninja pouch one last time to ensure she had plenty of explosive tags and soldier pills.
She looked a bit tense—this was her first time stepping out of the village as a ninja.
"Hey! Are you guys coming or not?!"
An impatient voice interrupted the three.
The bridge-building master Tazuna, with his messy gray hair and flushed face, was holding his ever-present sake gourd.
"If you keep dawdling, by the time you escort me to the Land of Waves, my bridge will grow legs and run away on its own!"
Naruto stuck his tongue out at him defiantly.
"Naggy old man! If it weren't for the mission, who'd bother with you!"
Just then, a lazy figure strolled out from the village.
"Yo, everyone's here."
Sora yawned, looking like he hadn't fully woken up, holding another book on ninjutsu in his hand. After all, he already knew the Flying Thunder God Technique long ago—pretending to relearn it in public was just to legitimize its origin.
Karin's eyes lit up as she hurried over.
"Big Brother Sora!"
"Mm." Sora ruffled her red hair, then looked at the other two kids.
"Not bad—you're all on time."
He walked up to the drunken Tazuna, his face bearing his signature cheerful grin.
"Mr. Tazuna, I'll be in your care on the road."
"Hmph." Tazuna let out a dissatisfied snort from his nose.
"Alright, enough chit-chat." Sora closed the book, casually tucked it into his pouch, and waved his hand.
"Class 7, first out-of-village mission—officially begins! Let's move out!"
His voice was full of energy, brimming with leadership flair.
Yet he himself sauntered leisurely at the very back of the group, even pulling out a small dried fish from his pocket to tease a sunbathing stray cat by the roadside.
Naruto: "..."
Sasuke: "..."
Is this teacher really reliable?
The group of five set off toward the Land of Waves in this odd formation.
Leading the way was the grumpy Tazuna.
Naruto and Sasuke walked side by side in the middle—one gawking at everything curiously, the other staying highly alert, scanning the surroundings.
Karin followed closely behind them, while their supposed leader, Sora, lagged at the rear like he was on a leisurely outing.
"Sora-sensei! Hurry up!" Naruto couldn't help turning back to urge him.
"What's the rush?" Sora replied lazily. "The roadside scenery is so nice—you have to appreciate it."
He pointed at a cloud in the sky.
"Look at that one—doesn't it look like a bowl of ramen?"
Naruto followed his finger and actually thought it did.
A vein throbbed on Sasuke's forehead.
Was this guy really once an Anbu squad captain? How does he compare so poorly to my brother?
He felt his future looked bleak.
The team passed through a forest and walked along a sun-warmed dirt road.
The weather was clear, not a cloud in the sky.
As Sora walked, his steps suddenly paused.
His gaze fell on a small puddle in the middle of the road ahead.
The puddle wasn't large, reflecting sunlight.
His usually smiling amber eyes narrowed slightly.
[Minor Ninja · Disguise Technique]
The smile on Sora's face didn't change at all.
He continued his lazy pace at the rear, as if he hadn't noticed the water at all.
This was a perfect opportunity for some on-site teaching.
He wanted to see which of his three students would spot the issue.
Sasuke's steps slowed as well.
He frowned at the suspicious puddle.
Something's off.
Though he didn't have Sora's perverse observational skills, as an Uchiha prodigy, he had basic vigilance.
It had been sunny for days—how could a puddle suddenly appear on this dry road?
Karin's body tensed almost imperceptibly.
She sensed it.
Two faint but malicious chakra signatures coming from the puddle.
She instinctively wanted to warn everyone.
But glancing at Sora lagging behind, still looking utterly unconcerned, she swallowed her words.
Big Brother Sora must have noticed too.
Since he hadn't spoken up, he had his reasons.
This is... a test for us?
Karin understood immediately.
Only the oblivious Naruto and drunken Tazuna walked past the puddle without a clue.
"Hey! Sasuke! Karin! What are you two spacing out for? Hurry up!" Naruto called from ahead.
In that instant.
Splash!
The puddle exploded!
Two figures emerged like ghosts from the water, their chained metal claws lunging straight at Tazuna in the lead!
"What?!" Tazuna sobered up halfway, scared into plopping on the ground.
"Watch out!" Sasuke reacted fastest, shoving Naruto aside while drawing a kunai to meet the attack.
Clang!
Kunai clashed with claw, producing a sharp ring.
Sasuke felt a massive force through his arm, sending him staggering back.
"Demon Brothers, at your service!"
Two ninjas wearing metal forehead protectors and bandaged faces sandwiched Sasuke between them.
Their claws gleamed with a faint purple light.
Poison!
"Sasuke!" Naruto snapped to attention, shocked and furious, ready to rush in.
"Stay back, dead-last!" Sasuke growled. "Their claws are poisoned!"
The other Demon Brother had already bypassed Sasuke, lunging again at the collapsed Tazuna.
"It's over, old man!"
The poisoned claw was about to reach Tazuna's neck.
Whoosh!
A golden chain shot down like lightning from the sky, precisely wrapping around the ninja's arm!
It was Karin!
"Adamantine Sealing Chains!"
She shouted cutely, yanking hard with her arm, forcibly pulling the ninja back.
"Oh?" The ninja looked surprised at the red-haired girl.
His partner was temporarily tied up by Sasuke.
Two Mist chunin—blocked by three Konoha genin?
In this brief standoff.
A lazy voice, seemingly laced with amusement, sounded faintly behind the two.
"Hey, you two."
The Demon Brothers' hearts jolted; they whipped around.
Unnoticed, the flaxen-haired youth they'd deliberately ignored from the start—the one who seemed most harmless—was now standing behind them.
His face still bore that innocent smile, even holding a small booklet as if taking notes.
"Excuse me—mind if I ask a question?"
Sora grinned.
"Who taught you such an obvious puddle trap?"
"Was your teacher a PE instructor?"
Before his words finished.
He moved.
No one saw how.
He simply strolled casually between the two Demon Brothers.
Then, extending two fingers, he lightly tapped a spot on the back of each of their necks.
Thud.
Thud.
The two ferocious Mist chunin fell straight like felled logs, unconscious.
The entire process flowed smoothly, even with a touch of elegance.
As if he weren't fighting, but performing a dance.
Dead silence on the scene.
Naruto's mouth hung open, frozen mid-charge.
Sasuke's hand gripping the kunai trembled slightly.
He hadn't even seen how the opponent struck.
Karin retracted her chains, gazing at that relaxed back with stars in her eyes.
As expected of Big Brother Sora!
Sora walked to the unconscious ninjas and nudged one with his foot.
"Tsk tsk, this is the level of Mist ninjas?"
He shook his head, looking disappointed.
Then he turned, smiling at the terrified Tazuna.
"Mr. Tazuna."
His grin remained cheerful, but his amber eyes were calm without a ripple.
"Now, care to explain?"
"Why would a 'standard' C-rank escort mission attract two Mist rebel ninjas to assassinate you?"
An invisible pressure enveloped the scene.
Tazuna shuddered, cold sweat instantly soaking his back.
Looking at the brightly smiling young man, he felt like he was facing a prehistoric beast in sheep's clothing.
He opened his mouth, throat dry, unable to speak.
Sora didn't press, simply crouching to inspect the unconscious ninjas' gear.
"Hm, standard Mist forehead protectors with rebel markings..."
"Poisoned chain claws—the 'Demon Brothers,' fugitive Mist chunin famous for joint assassinations."
With each sentence, Tazuna's face paled further.
"To hire people like this, you must be worth quite a bit."
Sora stood, dusting off his hands, looking at Tazuna again.
"One last time."
"Tell the truth."
"Otherwise..."
He pointed at the two unconscious men.
"I don't mind turning you into the same state, then taking you back to Konoha for the Yamanaka clan friends to 'read' what I want from your mind—bit by bit."
Tazuna's psychological defenses collapsed completely.
He dropped to his knees with a thud, sobbing with snot and tears.
"I'll talk! I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!"
He spilled it all: how he was trying to save the Land of Waves from the shipping magnate Cardo, and because he lacked money, he lied about the mission rank.
"Please! Save the Land of Waves!" Tazuna clung to Sora's leg, tears streaming.
Sora pulled his leg away with distaste.
He looked at his three stunned students.
"Alright, that's the situation."
He shrugged helplessly, as if saying "that's just how it is."
"A C-rank mission has now upgraded to a quasi-A-rank potentially facing an A-rank rebel ninja."
"By regulations, we can abandon the mission immediately, escort Mr. Tazuna back to Konoha, and the village won't penalize us."
He paused, gazing over the three.
"Now, let's vote."
"Continue or return?"
"As your teacher, I respect your choice."
He kicked the decision to the three kids.
Naruto jumped up first, pointing at the still-sniffling Tazuna on the ground.
"Of course we continue!"
"We're ninjas! How can we back down because the enemy's strong? This old grandpa's so pitiful—we have to help him!"
Sasuke was silent for a moment.
He glanced at the two chunin instantly KO'd by Sora, then at Sora himself.
He didn't want to admit it, but for a moment earlier, he'd felt fear.
Uchiha pride wouldn't allow retreat here.
"No objections," he said coolly.
All eyes turned to Karin.
Karin looked at Sora, her red eyes showing no hesitation.
"I'll follow Big Brother Sora."
Sora's smile finally became more genuine.
"Good."
He clapped his hands, concluding.
"Since everyone agrees—unanimous vote."
He turned back to Tazuna, his grin turning somewhat... playful.
"Then, congratulations, Mr. Tazuna."
"Your C-rank mission has successfully upgraded to an A-rank deluxe escort package."
"Of course, the price... will be calculated at A-rank rates."
He rubbed his fingers in the universal money gesture.
"But don't worry about the money—we can discuss it slowly once we reach the Land of Waves... with your enemy, Mr. Cardo."
Tazuna froze.
Why did he feel this young ninja seemed even more like a villain than that thug Cardo?
Sora ignored him, turning to the road ahead toward the Land of Waves.
"Alright, warm-up's over."
The corner of his mouth curved in excitement.
Next, let's go meet that so-called 'Mist Demon'!
My room could use a nice big sword for opening letters.