The next day, Xia Li also received a notice from the ANBU and went to the Hokage's office.
"小 Xia Li, your team has already been arranged," the Third Hokage said with a smile as Xia Li entered.
"Thank you, Third Hokage," Xia Li replied, her eyes lighting up as she noticed a mask and… a sword on the desk.
"Yes, these are the mask and weapon I've chosen for you. Give them a try," the Third Hokage said, stroking his beard as he noticed Xia Li had noticed them.
"Alright." Xia Li took the mask and examined it carefully. There was nothing special about it—no color, no markings. Once worn, it looked like a faceless person.
She placed the mask on her face and stabilized it with chakra. She had thought the mask might obstruct her vision, but thanks to the chakra reinforcement, her sight remained completely unobstructed. Clearly, this mask was custom-made.
Then she examined the sword. Unlike a traditional katana, its blade had no curve, yet in the cold light, it gleamed with deadly sharpness. Xia Li ran her fingers along the blade and felt a surge of satisfaction.
"Do you like it?" the Third Hokage asked, smiling. This weapon had been specially selected for her; regular ANBU members didn't have access to such equipment—they usually used standard gear.
"I do, thank you, Third Hokage," Xia Li said, putting the sword back in its sheath behind her.
"As long as you like it, that's enough," the Third Hokage said, even more pleased. He then asked, "Xia Li, have you thought about a code name? Usually it's something like an animal, but of course, other names are fine too."
"Let's call me 'Mo Ying,'" Xia Li said casually, not caring too much about the name.
"Very well," the Third Hokage nodded and, without another word, tapped on the desk. At that moment, someone pushed open the office door.
"Tenzō, this is your team's new member, Mo Ying," the Third Hokage said as Tenzō entered. "Mo Ying, this is your future team leader, Tenzō."
"Yes, Hokage-sama," both Tenzō and Xia Li replied simultaneously.
At the same time, Tenzō and Xia Li exchanged a glance.
Tenzō felt a chill when he saw Xia Li. This person looked completely like a child. How could he be responsible for looking after a kid like this?
His team was highly efficient, and now a child had been added. Was this a way for a large family to let their young ones gain experience? Honestly, Tenzō felt a bit hesitant.
If something happened to the heir training here, his team would be finished!
But the Hokage's orders were not to be disobeyed. From now on, he would have to take care of the boy properly. If it came to it, he would just have to let him stay.
Tenzō thought, his first impression of Xia Li wasn't great.
Xia Li, meanwhile, was pondering the same thing. He seemed to recognize the name Tenzō but couldn't recall exactly who he was. Given the impression, he was probably a seasoned ninja, likely a strong and capable team leader.
Chapter 82: Team Arrangement
"Alright, Tenzō, take Mo Ying to get familiar with your team. You'll work together smoothly in the future," the Third Hokage said, watching. He wasn't worried; Xia Li's strength was unquestionable. While there might be initial doubts, he would quickly prove himself to be the backbone of the team.
After all, this was his disciple. His talent was obvious. The Third Hokage had no reason to doubt Xia Li's ability.
"Yes!" Tenzō replied, giving Xia Li a glance before leading the way.
Xia Li quietly followed him to a relatively secluded area. As expected, the ANBU's base was well-hidden. Despite wandering around for years, he had never found it…
Soon, Tenzō brought Xia Li to a small room. Inside were two others and a grey-and-white wolf-like dog, likely also part of the team.
"Captain," the two stood respectfully as Tenzō entered.
Xia Li noted this, sensing some clues from their subtle movements. Tenzō seemed like a good person.
"Alright, Hyena, Fox, this is our new member, Mo Ying. Let's get acquainted," Tenzō said, introducing Xia Li to his team.
Xia Li observed them carefully. The one wearing a dog mask must be the Hyena—clearly a dog mask, probably from the Inuzuka clan. The other wore a fox mask, though his traits were harder to discern.
"Captain, are you joking? He looks like he's twelve or thirteen. How could he be part of the ANBU and join our team in the future?!" Hyena stood up, loudly questioning.
"Hyena, the captain doesn't joke about this," Fox said, displeased but staring at Tenzō for an explanation.
If they were carrying oxygen tanks, mission success could drop drastically. No—they could even risk their lives.
"I'm not joking. Mo Ying was assigned to our team by the Hokage himself," Tenzō said, not covering for Xia Li.
Hyena and Fox fell silent, looking at Xia Li. Clearly, this was a child from a prominent family. The Uchiha clan was gone—could it be Hinata? But the eyes didn't match… Or perhaps the child of some elder?
Either way, he had come through connections, making them doubt his strength—but they said nothing. If the captain said so, it was final.
"Yo, newbie. Mo Ying, huh? Don't slow us down in the future," Hyena said, glaring.
"Don't worry, I won't hold you back," Xia Li said calmly.
"Let's hope so," Hyena muttered, relieved. His personality was fine; the worst-case scenario hadn't happened. If Xia Li remained arrogant like a wealthy heir, it would have been trouble.
Not only Hyena, but even Tenzō and Fox relaxed noticeably.
Of course, Xia Li was quickly analyzing the team. From their actions, he could gauge their thoughts, but he was not angry. This was part of understanding his teammates, which gave him some reassurance.
"Alright, let's introduce ourselves and briefly explain our abilities for smoother cooperation," Tenzō said.
"Mo Ying, as you may know from the Hokage, I am Tenzō, the team leader. My ability is Wood Release, and I am the primary attacker of this team," Tenzō immediately said.
"Wood Release?!" Xia Li's eyes widened. He immediately recognized Tenzō. This was Yamato.
Xia Li's memories grew sharper. Yamato was born in Root and later joined ANBU. If his personality allowed him to temporarily teach Team Seven, he must be a reliable, strong person.
In terms of skill, Yamato was a very capable Jonin. Even if he hadn't fully reached Jonin rank yet, his strength was already impressive.
Xia Li was stunned—he had been assigned to a Jonin team for the first time.
The others weren't surprised; hearing Yamato's name always elicited similar reactions. Even wealthy families aside, it was impressive.
"Yes, that's him. I can't reveal more details—you only need to know that," Tenzō added.
Xia Li nodded and turned to the others without further questions.
"It's my turn. I am Hyena. In this team, I handle tracking and assist in attacks," Hyena said casually, patting his partner, the grey dog.
"I am Fox, in charge of logistics and medical support. If you need anything, like Cold Pills, come to me. They'll be cheaper than usual, though ideally, you shouldn't lack essentials," Fox said coolly.
"I haven't found them yet, so I'll rely on you in the future, Senior Fox," Xia Li said, eyes lighting up. "Though I've heard they taste bad, they're essential."
Fox paused, then lowered his voice: "Don't call me senior. That's not popular in the team—just call me Fox."
"Alright," Xia Li said, nodding. "I'm Mo Ying. My specialty is chakra sensing and quick attacks. My future role is likely support, but becoming team leader depends on my performance."
The three's eyes lit up. They hadn't expected him to strike so quickly, but his chakra sensing was indeed valuable!
Even if Xia Li lacked direct combat ability, he was far from useless. Most importantly, his safety would increase, crucial if a prominent heir were in danger.
Xia Li analyzed the team setup. Recon, medical, and main attack were all in place. The configuration was excellent, and he thought…
From every angle, this seemed like a very strong team.
Chapter 83: The First Mission
After introductions, Tenzō explained how the team communicated.
They expected new members would need a few days before assignments—but the first mission was already issued the next day.
At home, Xia Li saw the team gathering information. He quietly left a note for his mother, donned his mask, slung his sword, and headed to the meeting point.
Tenzō's eyes brightened when he saw Xia Li arrive first. His speed wasn't a fluke—he had genuinely arrived fast.
Soon, Hyena and Fox arrived as well.
"Everyone's here. Let's see the mission. It's not the one I received but a designated mission. Let's take a look," Tenzō said, unrolling a scroll for the team.
"Hey, isn't this a mission for rookies? Why assign it to an elite team like ours?" Hyena complained. Rookie missions had low rewards.
"Hyena, we have a new member," Fox muttered. He wasn't opposed; he preferred low-risk missions. Xia Li's presence was not a bad thing.
"Looks like it…" Hyena glanced at Xia Li, then nodded, saying nothing further.
Xia Li examined the mission, eyes flickering as he asked Tenzō, "Captain, do we really need to go together for a mission like this?"
"Yes. As a team, we should operate together, regardless of the mission," Tenzō replied.
"Understood," Xia Li said, nodding. From his perspective, he could handle it alone—the mission suggested no enemy ninjas.
A Jonin and three Chunin had been dispatched? Even without knowing Hyena and Fox's full strength, Xia Li realized Konoha had so many Jonin in a single team.
Wasn't that overkill?
"If you find it easy, then act quickly—complete the mission on-site within two days," Tenzō instructed.
Hyena and Fox said nothing. Xia Li calculated the distance—two days was more than enough.
But the others didn't know, so Hyena said as usual, "Fox, have Grey Fang carry you."
"No, Mo Ying can handle it," Fox said softly. He believed Xia Li needed the most care.
"I don't need it. I can keep up," Xia Li replied confidently.
"Fox, you'll ride Grey Fang," Tenzō interjected. He had seen Xia Li's speed—impressive—but he didn't know the boy's stamina.
"Understood," Fox said without objection. The captain had his reasons.
"Then let's begin," Tenzō said, vanishing from sight. Hyena and Fox silently followed, riding Grey Fang.
At first, they deliberately slowed, only increasing pace after seeing Xia Li's relaxed expression behind them.
Even at the rear, Hyena felt competitive, speeding up faster than usual. Tenzō and Fox followed helplessly. Was it just to show off to the newcomer?
Xia Li, however, didn't care. He was a balanced ninja, fast and strong, and quickly kept up.
"Perhaps Hyena feels embarrassed…" Tenzō thought, watching.
As expected, Hyena couldn't maintain the speed long and began panting. Yet he held Grey Fang's leash steady—animals' endurance was still superior to humans.
"Hyena, slow down. I'm a bit tired," Xia Li teased, noticing his panting and interpreting it as playful competitiveness.
"…Slow down? Don't go easy on me. I underestimated you. Your speed and stamina are impressive," Hyena admitted.
Despite leaving a small opening, Hyena's attitude toward Xia Li improved.
Xia Li was briefly surprised, then raised his evaluation of the team. This truly was an excellent squad, from the captain to the members.
As for showing off a little, was it just to get a slap? Xia Li had no interest. His goal was to integrate quickly and maximize survival and mission efficiency.
Tenzō and Fox smiled, though hidden behind their masks—they sensed the atmosphere in the team was more harmonious than when Xia Li first arrived.
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