Mission Start, Asakusa Town

As dawn broke, four figures, one adult and three children, were running rapidly along the road leading to the border of the Land of Fire. Their figures flickered, covering a hundred meters in an instant, disappearing without a trace the next second.

Genma Shiranui deliberately slowed his pace, both to keep up with the three youngsters and to explain the mission.

"This mission is to round up bandits. Since they are foreign, itinerant criminals, we don't have detailed descriptions. We only know they are extremely fierce and have killed many passing merchants."

"Normally, something like this should be handled by the Daimyo's elite forces. However, the awkward part is that these bandits are hiding in the border area between the Land of Grass and the Land of Fire. This makes both Daimyos believe it's the other's responsibility, so it hasn't been resolved yet."

"In the end, out of desperation, some merchants pooled their funds and came to the village to commission this mission. According to the information they provided, there are no ninjas among the bandits."

"However, these people are very cunning. Each time, they cleverly avoid merchant groups escorted by ninjas and then attack those with weaker escorts."

"A ninja escort mission is at least a C-rank mission, and large-scale ones are B-rank or higher. Smaller merchants simply cannot afford it, hence this mission."

"Senba, Yue, Iruka!"

After briefly explaining the mission details, Genma Shiranui suddenly called out their names with a serious tone.

"There will be no ninjas appearing on this mission, so I will not intervene. I am entrusting this entirely to you. Senba, you are the captain. I have only one thing to say: better to kill the wrong person than to let them go soft. Do you understand?"

Under Genma Shiranui's stern gaze, the three nodded in unison, their expressions somewhat grave. If Teacher Genma had specifically instructed them like this, something must have happened in the past that left a deep impression on him.

Senba, Yue, and Iruka were not reckless ninjas, so they firmly kept his words in mind.

As they ran in silence, Senba's mind recalled information about the Land of Grass.

The Land of Grass was in an extremely awkward geographical position. Why was that? Because all its neighbors were stronger than it.

First, it was situated between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth. Then, who were its neighbors? The Land of Rain was to its south, the Land of the Waterfall was to its north, and with the Land of Fire and Land of Earth to the east and west, it was completely surrounded.

Moreover, it couldn't even maintain neutrality because it had a ninja village, and during wartime, it had to serve as cannon fodder, whether it wanted to or not.

One could only say that the Land of Grass's "will of grass" was well-earned, struggling to survive in harsh conditions.

Thinking of this, Senba felt a bit of admiration for the Daimyo of the Land of Grass; he had truly mastered the art of relying on strong nations and playing both sides.

Thus, in this awkward situation, as Konoha ninjas, Senba and the others crossed the border smoothly after a day and night of rapid travel, entering the Land of Grass and settling in Asakusa Town on the border.

Although this place was not large, it possessed extraordinary vitality. Products from the Land of Fire, Land of Earth, Land of Rain, and Land of the Rapids converged here. Moreover, due to various reasons, it was not heavily guarded, making its economy exceptionally developed.

"Senba, is this really okay? Shouldn't we go see the client directly?"

Iruka looked at the roasted, golden-brown, crispy lamb leg in front of him, drizzled with bright red sauce. He couldn't help but swallow, but his sense of responsibility made him prioritize the mission over the lamb leg.

Senba, who was taking large bites of lamb, didn't answer Iruka directly. Instead, he watched the shop's special performance with great interest.

A Blade Master, holding two knives, was dividing a rock sheep with the skill of butchering an ox amidst cheers. The skin, meat, tendons, and bones were perfectly separated, all in less than a minute.

"Beautiful knife skills. The strength, speed, and precision of his movements are all perfect. It's a bit of a waste to be cutting rock sheep here."

Uchiha Yue, who had completely devoured the giant lamb leg, threw the bone and let out a satisfied burp.

Iruka, beside her, didn't understand much. He was not skilled in swordsmanship and couldn't grasp the intricacies.

Just then, a merchant, dressed in luxurious clothing and with a build comparable to an Akimichi clansman, approached them, sweating profusely. Even in the early winter, he looked as if he had just emerged from a hot spring.

"Esteemed ninjas, my apologies. I am Koinuida, the client for this mission."

Koinuida, with a beaming smile, looked at Genma Shiranui, clearly mistaking him for the ninja responsible for liaising with him. To his surprise, the latter was just nonchalantly watching the knife performance, showing no signs of responding.

"Mr. Koinuida, please sit. Could you tell me the details of the incident so I can understand?"

Senba, with his handsome features, said to the stunned Koinuida while taking out a notebook. It was clear that the situation was not quite as he had imagined.

Twenty minutes later, Senba looked at the photos in his hand and listened to the client's rambling explanation without any impatience. This changed Koinuida's perception of him; such composure at his age was truly rare.

After everything was concluded, Senba carefully put away the documents in his hand and then changed the subject, "Mr. Koinuida, you always dine here when you come, right? So you must be well-acquainted with the owner."

"Naturally, naturally. The owner here is from my hometown. Do you see that young man over there butchering beef, ninja-sama? He is the owner's nephew, Murakami. Bring four portions of freshly sliced beef to be grilled. Put it on my tab."

"The rest is up to you, ninja-sama. Our people will wait here for your good news. I must take my leave now."

Murakami, the Blade Master who was slicing beef, heard Koinuida's voice and a barely perceptible smile appeared on his stiff face. The next second, he subtly rotated his wrist, letting the blade glide against the beef. Slices of beef, shaped like willow leaves, fell neatly onto the grill. Soon, four portions of grilled beef and the necessary grilling equipment were delivered.

Looking at the fine marbling on the beef, Uchiha Yue's expression became serious. Then she felt a kick and, understanding the reason, quickly adjusted her demeanor and began to grill the beef herself.

"Mr. Murakami's knife skills are truly a feast for the eyes," Senba said, his voice full of admiration. At the same time, he gently picked up a sizzling piece of grilled beef. The aroma of the meat and the spicy marinade filled the air, causing his throat to involuntarily constrict.

The next second, the perfectly grilled beef was in his mouth. With a gentle chew, a rich fragrance and tender meat filled his mouth, causing Senba's eyes to involuntarily narrow in enjoyment.

Upon hearing Senba's praise, Mr. Murakami's face finally broke into a happy smile. It seemed his skills had been recognized, which made him very pleased.

At this moment, besides Koinuida who had already left, Genma Shiranui, who had gone out for some unknown reason, also returned. The fragrant beef instantly piqued his appetite.

"I saw some Land of Grass ninjas earlier and worried they might interfere with your mission, so I followed them. However, it was just an accident. Both of them were injured and were discussing absorbing some blood packs to heal themselves. So I came back. This is good; your mission won't involve outsiders."

Genma Shiranui, while flipping the grilled beef, recounted his recent experience. Meanwhile, Senba, who had remained calm opposite him, suddenly paused his chopsticks. A few seconds later, he resumed savoring the delicious beef as if nothing had happened.