Client

The wealthy merchant who had commissioned this mission, Mr. Ito, was a shrewd-looking middle-aged man.

He carried a briefcase with great care. One look made it clear that it contained something important.

His butler was a slight, white-haired old man with an exceptionally calm expression, as though he did not care how dangerous their destination was as long as he remained by his master's side.

The guard beside him was a tall, powerfully built samurai with two tachi hanging at his waist, looking lean and capable.

Yet when he looked at Satoru and the other two, his face was filled with contempt.

"This group dares to head for a border battlefield? How big is this business...?"

Satoru silently mocked him, then noticed Mr. Ito furrow his brow slightly.

"Satoru, Nawaki, Mikoto, the mission begins now. First, the three of you will formulate the plan."

Orochimaru seemed entirely determined to be a hands-off manager. Seeing the client's bewildered expression, he smiled.

"Please rest assured, Mr. Ito. These three are all outstanding students of mine. As their teacher, I have absolute confidence in them."

"Besides, I, an Elite Jonin, will be overseeing them. If they make any mistakes, I will point them out."

"Th-then I'll be relying on you, Jonin-sama. I was willing to pay such a high price because of your reputation!"

Mr. Ito took out a handkerchief and wiped away his sweat, tightening his grip on the case.

As the Hokage's disciple, an Elite Jonin, and a genius with an excellent mission record, Orochimaru stood head and shoulders above the other Jonin who had remained behind to teach.

That was why Mr. Ito had gritted his teeth and paid a premium to secure an escort from Orochimaru's team.

"It's wartime. If possible, I wouldn't want to go to the Land of Wind at a time like this either. But if I don't, my holdings over there will be confiscated! That absolutely cannot happen!"

Mr. Ito gritted his teeth.

"Those people from the Land of Wind are simply unreasonable! Taking advantage of the war to strip me of my properties for military funds!"

Satoru and the other two exchanged looks. So that was what this was about.

Then the pressure coming from Sunagakure's side probably would not be small.

If Sunagakure was targeting foreign merchants like this to ensure its wartime supplies, it would likely use "appropriate" methods to prevent the owner from appearing.

It all depended on how valuable Mr. Ito's assets were.

"But as I recall, couldn't we travel from the Land of Fire to the Land of Wind through the Land of Rivers? Why do we have to pass through the Land of Rain, which is in a state of war?"

Satoru pointed out a key issue. The Land of Rivers lay between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire, and it did not even have its own hidden village. Wouldn't that route be easier?

"Because... because I also have a property in the Land of Rain. I need to obtain a document there before I can go to the Land of Wind..."

Ito gave a bitter smile. "If it weren't necessary, I wouldn't want to take such a risk either..."

Everyone understood. No wonder it was so troublesome.

Nawaki and Mikoto exchanged a tacit look with Satoru. He scratched his head and showed a helpless expression.

"Ahem... then, Orochimaru-sensei, I'll formulate the plan."

Orochimaru nodded lightly. Satoru looked Mr. Ito's group over again and again, stroking his chin.

"Mr. Ito, right...? Is that briefcase of yours important?"

"Uh... yes. It contains another set of important documents. Without them, I can't prove ownership of my properties in the Land of Wind. Even if I went there myself, I couldn't keep them!"

"Would documents like that matter in a country at war?"

Nawaki voiced his doubts. Would the Land of Wind care about paperwork regarding the property of a merchant from an enemy nation? Confiscating it outright would be the normal course of action.

"Wars always end," Mr. Ito said with a strained smile. "If they make themselves look too ugly, who would dare do business there afterward?"

"So if the border is sealed and I can't make it back, they can do whatever they want. But if I return to take charge, the Land of Wind won't throw away all dignity over such a small amount of property."

"I see..."

Nawaki nodded and glanced at Satoru, indicating that he had no more questions.

Satoru raised an eyebrow and continued. "In other words, destroying the documents would achieve the enemy's goal as well. Our objective is to escort you, Mr. Ito, and your documents, while obtaining the paperwork located in the Land of Rain."

"...That's right."

Mr. Ito froze for a moment and nodded, but he could not help becoming even more nervous.

"Um... you're not going to charge extra, are you?"

"Hehe... no. Please rest assured."

Orochimaru's words relaxed Mr. Ito. Konoha was quite principled; if they demanded more money at this point, he would not dare refuse.

"Then I'll continue."

Satoru nodded, glanced at the old butler and the samurai guard, and smiled.

"It seems the samurai gentleman has some objections?"

"Hmph!"

When the middle-aged samurai, who had been holding his tongue all this time, heard Satoru call him out, he slammed his hand heavily against his scabbard and said disdainfully.

"A brat whose hair hasn't even fully grown in yet. I have always opposed the boss hiring you people. If not for the Elite Jonin leading the team, do you think you would be qualified to stand here?"

"I held my tongue because the boss is the boss, and I cannot change his decision. But you dare question me? Have you not become a little too arrogant?"

The samurai's words made Nawaki flush red, and Mikoto frowned as well. Orochimaru and Satoru, however, kept smiling.

The old butler remained perfectly composed, but Mr. Ito's brows shot up as he cursed.

"Bastard! Sanada! Is this the time for infighting? Apologize to the ninja-sama at once!"

Samurai Sanada came from the Land of Iron and was a samurai Ito had hired for a high price not long ago.

Because the war between the Land of Iron and the Land of Rain had been particularly brutal, Sanada had seen firsthand just how terrifying the Land of Rain's ninja could be.

"It's fine. Understanding a companion's strength is also necessary before a mission begins."

Orochimaru waved his hand, then nodded toward Samurai Sanada.

"Then, samurai sir, my student, Mitokado Satoru, challenges you as a ninja."

"If Satoru wins, please follow his command throughout the entire journey."

Samurai Sanada's expression changed. Orochimaru's words as an Elite Jonin made him feel pressure.

"Jonin-sama, are you serious?!"

"Of course. This was how I planned to arrange things from the beginning." Orochimaru glanced at the conflicted-looking Ito, a faint smile curling at his lips.

"If you win, we will return your entire commission fee and escort you to the Land of Wind for free."

"Fine!"

After glancing at his employer, Sanada saw that Ito was merely wiping his sweat without voicing any opposition. He immediately understood that his employer was tempted.

"It's a deal!"

Sanada gripped his scabbard and gave Satoru a vicious grin.

"Brat, the Jonin-sama said it himself. It's not too late to admit defeat and regret this now!"

"Otherwise, once we truly start fighting, I can't guarantee you won't get hurt!"

"Mm... it's fine. Come on."

Satoru sighed. This was why clients who brought their own guards were troublesome.

Why couldn't they just pay up and follow the arrangements? If he was so eager to show off, why didn't he go to the border himself?

This samurai was only third-rate even in the Land of Iron. Otherwise, would he have come out to work as a mercenary at a time when the Land of Iron was losing its war against the Land of Rain?

Samurai of the Land of Iron did not think much of ordinary ninja, thanks to their powerful swordsmanship and combat techniques that involved infusing weapons with Chakra.

In a one-on-one duel, ninja and samurai of the same level could be difficult to judge.

But...

"Heh, a dual-wielding berserker against a mage... and not even one who knows how to charge or intercept."

"Since you insist, don't cry when you get hurt, brat!"

Samurai Sanada said coldly. Being looked down upon by a brat who seemed barely ten years old filled him with uncontainable rage.

"You don't know your own limits!"