Unlike her two teammates one the son of the Hokage and the other a member of the most prestigious noble clan in the Shinobi World Uzuki Ruri belonged to a minor clan. Throughout their history, the Uzuki had never produced a top-tier expert, and even Jonin were limited to only one or two per generation. Now that she finally had such an opportunity, she was unwilling to let it slip away.
"That's right, Lord Orochimaru! Don't assume I'm just some guy riding my father's coattails just because I'm the Hokage's son!"
Sarutobi Enjun followed closely behind Uzuki Ruri, his voice thick with excitement.
Orochimaru looked at Sarutobi Enjun's hot-blooded expression, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes.
That dead disciple of his had been just as hot-blooded, eventually charging headlong into a trap set by the enemy and meeting a gruesome end.
"I believe Lord Orochimaru hasn't truly rejected us yet. He is using his own way to give us a chance, right? Otherwise, there would have been no need for you to lead us out of the Village."
Orochimaru turned his gaze toward Uchiha gen.
In truth, he really did not want to lead this team because it was too troublesome. Sarutobi Enjun's status as the Hokage's son made him a sensitive asset where no accidents could be permitted, but to Orochimaru, Uchiha gen was an even greater headache.
Train another Uchiha like Uchiha Kagami?
That meant Orochimaru would not only have to cultivate Uchiha gen strength but also guide his ideology to turn him into a loyal subordinate; it wasn't enough to simply ensure his safety.
However... "You're not stupid. You're right. I hope you can react just as quickly when you encounter real danger."
As Orochimaru spoke, he tossed a mission scroll to Uchiha gen.
"I won't be like other Jonin and arrange some meaningless survival exercise at the start. We will get straight to the point. This mission is one I carefully selected yesterday. Use it to prove to me that you have the ability to earn my recognition. Otherwise, just tell Lord Sarutobi to find you another Jonin leader. I have no interest in being a babysitter for cannon fodder destined to die on the battlefield."
Orochimaru's move left Sarutobi Enjun and Uzuki Ruri somewhat dazed.
Going out of the Village for a mission immediately after graduation—was this even allowed?
Uchiha gen, however, had already unfurled the scroll he caught and began skimming through it.
Extraordinary people do extraordinary things. Orochimaru is indeed someone who refuses to be bound by rules and possesses a very strong will.
Coupled with the fact that his status differed from that of an ordinary Jonin, such an occurrence was unexpected yet remained within the realm of reason.
After Sarutobi Enjun and Uzuki Ruri snapped out of their shock, they leaned in to look at the contents of the scroll.
[C-Rank Mission: Locate and eliminate bandits, recover tax funds] [Mission Client: Orochimaru Squad] [Requesting Party: Lord of River Valley Town, Land of Fire] [Mission Reward: 60,000 Ryo] [Mission Details: ...]
A C-rank mission?
Assigning a C-rank as the first mission right after becoming a Genin was likely a first in the history of Konoha, and perhaps even among the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
It was also surprising that the Third Hokage would agree to issue such a mission to Orochimaru's squad. Was he not afraid of accidents?
Uchiha gen glanced at Orochimaru out of the corner of his eye.
Well, with Orochimaru present—even if he hadn't yet reached his peak—his abilities were far beyond what any ordinary Jonin could compare to. Problems shouldn't arise.
To Orochimaru and Hiruzen Sarutobi, having an accident during a mission of this level was preferable to having one on the battlefield later.
At least for now, Orochimaru's strength served as a safety net.
As for Uchiha gen, being able to execute a C-rank mission at this stage was a welcome development.
At the very least, the experience gained would be significantly greater than the meager amount earned from performing D-rank chores like ordinary Genin.
He just wondered what kind of trickery lay within this seemingly straightforward C-rank mission.
Because Orochimaru had said earlier that this mission was one he had "carefully selected."
Soon, after the group registered their Shinobi IDs and other information with the Chunin guarding the Konoha gate, they set off together and left the Village.
The location for this mission was a relatively remote settlement called River Valley Town. Although it wasn't particularly far from Konoha, the transportation was inconvenient. It was quite a hassle for anyone other than a ninja to reach it.
The town's ability to thrive was naturally due to specific local conditions.
Despite the difficult transport, the soil was quite fertile, and the surrounding mountains were rich in mineral veins and forestry resources. It was self-sufficient and could sell minerals and other resources for wealth, providing the Daimyo with millions of Ryo in tax revenue every year.
However, shortly after the outbreak of the Great Ninja War, a band of bandits appeared nearby. They not only robbed merchant caravans but had also recently stolen the tax funds and supplies the town had prepared for the Daimyo.
If it were just a matter of robbing merchant caravans, Konoha might not necessarily move to wipe them out; their presence would make caravans feel endangered and thus encourage them to hire Konoha Ninja, which actually increased the village's mission count. But robbing taxes was a different matter entirely.
The bulk of Konoha's military funding came from the Daimyo's allocations, and the Daimyo's financial power was primarily derived from tax revenue.
In other words, a portion of the money those bandits stole belonged to Konoha.
This could not be tolerated.
Shinobi travel very fast. The group set out from the Konoha gate in the morning, and by lunchtime, they had already reached their destination.
"Next, it is all up to you. I will only observe your performance and will not intervene. Move out."
Orochimaru stood on a tree trunk with his arms crossed, looking at the distant town as he spoke to the three Genin behind him.
"Yes!"
Three figures dashed out in unison, about to rush toward the town gate.
"Wait a moment."
Uchiha gen suddenly spoke up.
Sarutobi Enjun asked:
"What's wrong, Gen?"
"Do you think we should just walk straight in like this?"
Uchiha gen asked his two teammates.
Uzuki Ruri tilted her head, her purple hair fluttering in the wind.
"You mean we should disguise ourselves before entering the town? So the spies left by those bandits don't see that Konoha sent ninjas and notify the bandits to flee in advance?"
"That makes sense! Gen, you're so meticulous!"
Sarutobi Enjun gave Uchiha gen a thumbs-up.
"Not only that, this mission was arranged by Lord Orochimaru as an assessment trial for us. Although it's only C-rank, it certainly won't be as simple as finding the bandits and killing them all to find the tax money. Not to mention, we've never performed a C-rank mission before, and we're doing it without a leading ninja."
"So, we can't be too careful. Before formally executing the mission, we need to scout for intelligence first."