At first light, four figures—one large and three small—raced down the road toward the Land of Fire's border. They flashed past in an instant, covering a hundred meters before vanishing from sight.
Genma Shiranui deliberately slowed his pace, both to accommodate Senba and the others and to brief them on the mission.
"This mission is to wipe out a band of bandits. They're foreign outlaws who roam from place to place, so we don't have detailed portraits. We only know they're exceptionally vicious and have killed many merchants traveling through the area."
"Normally, the daimyo would send elite troops to deal with something like this. The awkward part is that the bandits are hiding near the border between the Land of Grass and the Land of Fire. The daimyo of each country thinks it's the other's problem, so nothing's been done."
"In the end, some merchants pooled their money and came to the village to hire us. According to the information they provided, there are no Ninja among the bandits."
"But they're very crafty. Each time, they skillfully avoid merchant caravans escorted by Ninja and attack those with weaker protection."
"A Ninja escort mission is at least C-rank, and large-scale ones are B-rank or higher. Small-time merchants can't afford that, which is why we got this mission."
"Senba, Tsuki, Iruka!"
Having finished his brief explanation, Genma Shiranui suddenly called out their names in a solemn tone.
"There are no Ninja involved in this mission, so I won't step in. I'm leaving everything to you. Senba is the team leader. I have just one thing to say: better to kill an innocent than let your guard down. Understood?"
Under Genma Shiranui's stern gaze, all three nodded at once, their expressions heavy. Their teacher had gone out of his way to warn them, so something must have happened in the past that had left a deep impression on him.
None of the three was the reckless type, so they committed his words firmly to memory.
As they ran on in silence, Senba recalled what he knew about the Land of Grass.
The Land of Grass was in an extremely awkward geographical position. Why? Because all its neighbors were stronger.
First, it was wedged between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth. And who were its other neighbors? The Land of Rain lay to the south, and the Land of Waterfalls to the north. With the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth to the east and west, it was surrounded on all sides.
It couldn't even stay neutral, because it had a Ninja village and was forced to serve as cannon fodder during wartime, whether it wanted to or not.
The Land of Grass certainly lived up to its name, struggling to survive in a harsh environment.
Thinking of this, Senba couldn't help admiring the Land of Grass's daimyo. He'd mastered the art of attaching himself to powerful countries and playing both sides.
In such an awkward position, Senba and the others, as Konoha Ninja, raced for a day and a night, crossed the border without hindrance, and arrived in Asakusa Town on the frontier of the Land of Grass.
The town wasn't large, but it was extraordinarily lively. Specialty goods from the Land of Fire, the Land of Earth, the Land of Rain, and the Land of Waterfalls all converged here. For various reasons, it had no heavy garrison, and its economy flourished.
"Senba, is this really okay? Shouldn't we go straight to meet the client?"
Iruka looked at the rock-goat leg before him, roasted until golden and crisp, with bright-red sauce drizzled over it. He swallowed, but his sense of responsibility made him put the mission ahead of the meat.
Senba, who was busy chewing on a mouthful of goat meat, didn't answer Iruka directly. Instead, he watched the restaurant's signature performance with relish.
Amid the cheers, a Blade Master wielding a knife in each hand carved up a rock goat like a master butcher. The meat, skin, sinew, and bones were separated flawlessly in less than a minute.
"Beautiful knife work. His strength, speed, and precision are all impeccable. It's a waste of his talent to be cutting up rock goats here."
Uchiha Yue tossed aside the bone after devouring the enormous leg and burped.
Iruka, sitting beside her, didn't know much about it. He was hopeless with a blade and couldn't appreciate the finer points.
Just then, a merchant dressed in lavish clothes and as massive as someone from the Akimichi clan approached them, drenched in sweat. In the early winter weather, he looked as if he'd just stepped out of a hot spring.
"Honored Ninja, forgive my rudeness. I'm Koinuida, the client who hired you for this mission."
Beaming, Koinuida looked at Genma Shiranui, clearly assuming he was the Ninja assigned to deal with him. He didn't expect Genma to simply watch the knife demonstration with a carefree air, without acknowledging him at all.
"Mr. Koinuida, please sit. Sorry to trouble you, but tell me what happened so I can get a clear picture."
Senba, handsome of face, took out a notebook and spoke to the dazed Koinuida. Clearly, things weren't quite as he'd expected.
Twenty minutes later, Senba studied the photographs in his hands and listened to the man's rambling explanation without the slightest impatience. Koinuida's opinion of him changed; such composure was rare at his age.
Once everything was settled, Senba carefully put away the information, then changed the subject. "Mr. Koinuida, you eat here every time you come to town, right? You must know the owner well."
"Of course, of course. The owner here is from my hometown. Honored Ninja, see that young man cutting up the beef? He's the owner's nephew, Murakami. Four fresh-cut portions, grilled, please. Put them on my tab."
"I'll leave the rest to you, honored Ninja. Our people will wait here for your good news. I'll be off now."
When the Blade Master Murakami heard Koinuida, a faint smile appeared on his stiff face. The next second, he turned his wrist, pressed the blade against the beef, and sliced it into neat, willow-leaf-shaped pieces that fell onto the grill. Before long, he brought over four portions of grilled beef with the accompanying cooking equipment.
At the sight of the fine marbling in the beef, Uchiha Yue's expression turned serious. Then she felt someone kick her. Knowing why, she quickly composed herself, picked up the meat, and bent her head to start grilling it.
"Mr. Murakami's knife work is a pleasure to watch," Senba said with admiration. He gently picked up a sizzling piece of beef. The savory scent of meat and the spicy aroma of the marinade wafted toward him, and his throat moved involuntarily.
The next moment, he put the cooked beef into his mouth. As his teeth chewed gently, the rich aroma and tender meat filled his mouth. Senba's eyes narrowed with pleasure. This was bliss.
At Senba's compliment, Murakami finally broke into a happy smile. He was clearly delighted to have his skills appreciated.
By now, Koinuida had already left, and Genma Shiranui, who'd gone out for some reason, had returned. The fragrant beef instantly whetted his appetite.
"I saw a couple of Grass Ninja earlier and worried they might interfere with your mission, so I followed them. It turned out to be nothing. They were both wounded and were discussing which blood packs to absorb when they got back to heal up, so I came back. Good thing, too—no outsiders will be involved in your mission."
Genma Shiranui recounted what had happened while turning the beef on the grill. Across from him, Senba had been relaxed the whole time, but he suddenly stopped his chopsticks. A few seconds later, he resumed savoring the delicious beef as if nothing had happened.
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