The Two Kids' First Battle

"Are you two ready?"

Kawafune stood at the camp entrance with Nawaki and Minato, his expression stern.

"We're ready."

The two kids answered in unison, each with a Han Sword still hanging at their waist.

To them, Kawafune's back looked incredibly tall. He had just arrived, yet he was already taking two rookies on such an exciting mission.

As expected of their teacher (big brother).

"It doesn't matter if you're not ready. We're leaving."

Kawafune slowed his pace slightly, keeping just ahead of the two kids as they headed north of the camp.

Though it was not raining at the moment, the forest was still extremely damp, and the tree trunks were somewhat slippery.

The careless Nawaki nearly lost his footing and fell. If Minato had not grabbed him in time, he would have been in serious trouble.

"How many times have I told you? Pay attention to the details."

"Don't get distracted while distributing Chakra to the soles of your feet."

"If you can't even stand steady, what swordsmanship are you learning? Were all those horse stances for nothing?"

Kawafune did not hold back as he berated him, his attitude ten thousand times worse than during training at home.

Nawaki was still a young child, after all. Feeling a little wronged, he replied, "I'll be more careful next time."

Minato stood to the side, not daring to say a word. It was his first time seeing Kawafune this irritable.

Even when the two of them got beaten up at home, he had always been smiling.

"Minato did well. You have to adapt to the environment first."

"The air here is humid, and the terrain is different from Konoha. If you don't even have this much awareness—"

"Then I think you should just go back."

The reason Kawafune scolded Nawaki so harshly was because he had realized that the kid was far too careless, paying no attention whatsoever to his surroundings.

No wonder he had been blown to death by an Explosive Tag. Damn, that death really had not been undeserved.

If Kawafune did not teach him a lesson, there was no way he would ever get rid of this bad habit that could cost him his life.

As for Minato, who would stand out in the Third Shinobi War, he was streets ahead of Nawaki in these areas.

"Got it, big brother."

Only after hearing Kawafune's tone soften did Nawaki dare answer loudly.

Kawafune said nothing more and continued walking in front.

"Nawaki, be more careful. Teacher is right."

"This is a battlefield. People die here."

"Do you remember how miserable those wounded were?"

Minato began trying to reason with Nawaki. He already understood Kawafune's words.

Nawaki's face gradually turned pale, and he nodded heavily.

"Don't worry. I know big brother is doing this for my own good."

The two kids walked side by side. Just keeping up with Kawafune already required a great deal of energy.

After they had traveled far beyond the camp, the dampness deep in the forest grew heavier and heavier.

Small puddles could be seen everywhere on the ground.

Kawafune also began to notice some concealed markings, though he did not know what they meant.

Still, he guessed they were a unique signaling method used by the Rain Ninja.

His vigilance grew even stronger. He had two kids with him, and he did not want to see either of them come to harm.

"Stay alert. Watch your surroundings."

Kawafune reminded the two kids.

Nawaki and Minato became even more cautious, which quickly drained their energy.

Kawafune saw it all, but he had not sensed any nearby Chakra activity.

He maintained their speed and continued forward.

After traveling several more miles, Kawafune vaguely sensed several unfamiliar Chakra signatures.

He was not a sensory-type ninja, so that meant they were not far away.

"Careful."

Kawafune dodged several Kunai as a Rain Ninja wearing a gas mask appeared before the three of them.

"Konoha ninja, and you still dare to come out on your own."

"Are you here to die?"

The Rain Ninja's face could not be seen, but his arrogant tone made Kawafune want to smack him around.

His right hand gripped the Eight-Faced Han Sword, ready to give the bastard a sword-through-the-heart special.

Then he sensed something else. A thought flashed through his mind, and Kawafune decided to play along with this Rain Ninja.

"You hide your face and still dare to spout such nonsense."

That single remark infuriated the Rain Ninja.

He formed hand seals with both hands.

"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique."

The Rain Ninja spat out a massive water dragon formed from a stream of water, sending it charging toward Kawafune.

"Child's play."

Kawafune took it head-on. The Eight-Faced Han Sword flashed with lightning as it cleaved the water dragon apart, scattering water everywhere.

Behind him, Nawaki and Minato also drew their swords and remained on guard.

"So you're a Jonin after all. Let's see how many Jonin Konoha has for me to kill."

The Rain Ninja still did not know Kawafune's true strength and continued running his mouth.

Kawafune could not take it anymore. This bastard was way too arrogant.

With a single burst of speed, he closed in on the Rain Ninja and stabbed him through the heart, but the sensation was wrong.

Sure enough, the Rain Ninja before him dissolved into a Water Clone.

The real body attacked from behind, a cruel grin already appearing beneath his mask.

But Kawafune did not even turn his head. He kicked backward with his right leg, striking him squarely in the chest.

The Rain Ninja flew backward. Blood began seeping through his mask, and Kawafune had still held back with that kick.

He had not even sent Chakra into the Rain Ninja's body.

This Rain Ninja knew when to retreat. Seeing that he was no match, he immediately fled.

"Stay alert. I'll be right back."

Kawafune actually left the two kids behind and chased after him.

Minato stared in disbelief. This was not something a shrewd teacher should have done.

Still, he said nothing. After all, Kawafune had only stayed behind to protect him and Nawaki.

"You still dare to chase me? As long as I hold you off, your subordinates will probably be waiting for you to return and collect their corpses."

The Rain Ninja was actually a little delighted when he looked back and saw Kawafune pursuing him. He had thought this operation was about to end in failure.

"If I didn't chase you, how could I get your subordinates to make a move?"

Kawafune's lips curled slightly as he stopped concealing his strength.

He assumed the starting stance for a draw slash.

"Lightning Flash: Sixfold Strike."

Seeing Kawafune rush at him, the Rain Ninja hurriedly created a Water Clone.

Unfortunately, two zigzagging bolts of lightning flashed past, splitting both the Rain Ninja and his Water Clone in two.

Land of Rain Jonin Extra—dead.

"When you meet the death god, remember to say hello."

"In your next life, don't be so arrogant."

"I won't allow anyone in the Hokage world to be more arrogant than me."

Kawafune sheathed the Eight-Faced Han Sword and used Flying Thunder God to return to the place where he had left his mark.

He could see Nawaki and Minato's figures right away. From the moment he began his pursuit to the moment he returned, only an instant had passed.

The Rain Ninja probably could not have imagined, even in his dreams, that he had failed to delay Kawafune for even a single breath.

At that moment, Minato and Nawaki stood back-to-back. On the thick tree trunk before Nawaki, there was unexpectedly a puddle.

Nawaki threw a Kunai at it. He felt something was wrong. Tree trunks were round, so how could there be a puddle on one?

Kawafune was genuinely delighted when he saw this. His little brother-in-law had finally grown a bit of a brain.

Before the Kunai reached the puddle, a Rain Ninja emerged from it and knocked the Kunai away with a strike.

"Still too crude."

Judging by his voice, this Rain Ninja in a gas mask was not very old either.

Two more ninja emerged behind him.

The puddle had already disappeared.

Facing three Land of Rain Chunin, Nawaki and Minato felt an overwhelming sense of danger.

"That stupid Jonin leading you actually dared to leave two little brats like you behind."

"Don't blame us for being merciless when you die."

As he spoke, the Rain Ninja at the front charged at the two kids first.

The other two followed. The three Rain Ninja formed a triangular formation, Kunai in hand as they rushed straight at them.

Kawafune's temples throbbed at what he heard. Like leader, like team—damn it, not a single one of them knew how to speak like a normal person.

If he were not trying to train the two kids, he would have gone down there and killed them one by one with his sword, sending them to meet that trash-talking Jonin.