"It's almost eight. Why hasn't that guy come yet?" At Konoha's gates, Uchiha Mikoto, carrying a backpack, grumbled in dissatisfaction.
She and her best friend Hyuga Suzune had arrived at six and had been waiting ever since, yet no one had shown up.
It wasn't just that bastard Shimura Kentei. Teacher Tsunade and Senju Nawaki had not arrived either.
"That's Teacher Tsunade's chakra!" Hyuga Suzune, whose senses were sharp, suddenly looked toward the end of the street. A caravan was slowly approaching, and she could sense her teacher's chakra from within it.
"It's that guy!" Uchiha Mikoto narrowed her bright eyes slightly. Under the morning sun, a golden gleam reflected from the rear of the caravan, dazzling her eyes.
There was no need to think about it. It had to be that show-off.
"You came early!" Tsunade said with a smile as she lazily reclined across the back of a hippopotamus.
She was quite pleased with the two girls. She hated waiting for people, and these two were very dependable.
"Come up and sit!" She gestured for them to climb aboard.
The road ahead was not short. If they ran the whole way on foot, they would definitely end up with blisters.
Besides, when ninja traveled outside, they had to preserve their bodies in peak condition to deal with any crisis that might arise.
"Teacher Tsunade, is this your clan's caravan?" Hyuga Suzune leaped onto the hippopotamus's back and looked in surprise at the banner flying at the front of the convoy. It bore the crest of the Senju Clan.
"Mm. We've always had business dealings with the Feudal Lord's Government. This time, we're escorting this caravan along the way. You two are our eyes now, so don't let your guard down."
Tsunade nodded without hiding anything. She had personally