This counted as the first piece of good news since leaving the village—at least, that was how the two troublemakers saw it.
Shaking his head, Ronglin said seriously, "Don't celebrate just yet. There are a lot of them, and they're strong. We need to gather enough intelligence before making a move, otherwise it'll put us at a disadvantage."
The smiles vanished from their faces, leaving their expressions stiff.
That was right. The enemy was strong. Could the three of them really complete this mission?
Thinking of the numerous Special Jonin, the group of Chunin, and the Jonin serving as their leader, the two of them felt their scalps go numb. This was a deadly situation.
"Trust me. We'll complete the mission."
Ronglin comforted them. "Rest here for a while. I'll go gather some useful intelligence."
"Wait!!"
Shimura Ou raised his hand and called out, "How about I go with you?"
Ronglin considered it, then refused. "It's about to rain."
He glanced at the sky. "Find somewhere to rest and leave a mark. I'll be back soon. It's more convenient to move alone."
Naturally, Ronglin could not bring a little tagalong along for something as dangerous as gathering intelligence. One careless mistake, and they could be discovered. That would be the real danger. Even if he could escape safely, what about Shimura Ou?
Ronglin did not want to experience having to rescue a teammate while abandoning the mission again.
"Fine, but be careful. We'll leave a mark." After being refused by Ronglin, a trace of disappointment flashed through Shimura Ou's eyes, but he said nothing. He knew his own strength; if he really went along, he might become Ronglin's burden. Still, at ten years old, being turned down by a child three years younger than himself felt awful beyond words.
After