Count Me In

[Clear out a bandit group on the border of the Land of Fire. Approximately fifty common bandits, five wandering samurai, and two rogue ninjas from the Land of Wind. Mission Rank: A. It is recommended that at least three elite ninjas take on this mission.]

"Stop messing around, Hiruzen. This mission is extremely difficult."

Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was being held back by Danzo, was still clawing and struggling to break free, but a single sentence from Kagami Uchiha made him gradually calm down.

Kagami had always been very reliable within the team, and everyone trusted him deeply.

The group exchanged glances and then stepped forward to examine the mission scroll. Just as Kagami had said, it was truly difficult!

Just as everyone was wearing a serious expression, Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke up: "The mission is difficult, but our team has developed a tacit understanding. As long as we proceed with caution, there shouldn't be any problems."

Hearing this, the middle-aged ninja who had just been snapping at him couldn't help but look up at the young man before him.

It was as if he had suddenly become a different person.

In fact, this was the reason why, despite Hiruzen Sarutobi's boisterous and impulsive nature, no one in the group held it against him.

Because when it came to executing missions, Hiruzen Sarutobi was often the most dependable one, and he was the leader of this squad.

Although Danzo and Hiruzen were evenly matched in leadership ability, Danzo lacked a certain something that only Hiruzen Sarutobi possessed within the entire team.

"Hiruzen is right. We are already comrades with a great deal of synergy; a small mission like this won't defeat us."

Koharu chimed in to boost morale. As the only female ninja in the team, her strength was not inferior to any of the others.

Meanwhile, Torifu Akimichi was eating while cheering his companions on. He wasn't very good with words and could only express his current mood through frantic eating.

Over time, his teammates had come to understand his food-based language.

"Big brother, what are you all doing?"

Chirori's sweet voice came from the crowd behind them, and for a moment, Kagami Uchiha thought he was hallucinating.

But then he saw his younger sister and Torifu pushing their way through the crowd.

"Chirori, Torifu, why are you two here? We are about to head out on a mission."

Seeing his sister here was a surprise to Kagami; at this time, they should have been training under the Hokage.

Chirori said with a smile: "Hehe, the Hokage had some business today, so he only taught us a few moves before letting us go."

Even if the Hokage were busy with official duties, shouldn't he have sent a shadow clone to instruct his disciples?

However, Kagami figured that since the Hokage had allowed them to leave, there must be a deeper meaning behind it, so he didn't dwell on it.

"Alright then, you two came to find me—is there something you need?"

Chirori pursed her lips toward Torifu: "It was Torifu who wanted to come; I'm just following him."

Kagami felt a bit helpless after hearing this; his little sister was practically becoming Torifu's shadow.

She didn't act like this toward other children her age back home, and for that, he could only give Torifu a thumbs up.

"Kagami-nii, are you going on a mission? Can you take me with you?"

As soon as these words were spoken, not only Kagami Uchiha, but even Chirori and the rest of the group were shocked. Did this little brat even know what he was saying?!

"Cut the nonsense. Not to mention that there is no way I would take you, even if you actually went and something happened to you, the Hokage would skin me alive!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi shouted at Torifu.

But in truth, this wasn't just a whim on Torifu's part. Ever since the system prompted him about a new Chaos Event last night, he had been pondering this.

For the past two days, Torifu had wandered around the village several times, intentionally passing by anyone he found suspicious.

But even so, after scouring the entire Konoha, he hadn't triggered a single chaos mission!

There wasn't a single spy in all of Konoha, yet the threat of Setsuna Uchiha was looming right in front of him, so he had to find a way to earn Calmness Points.

He wanted to see if bandits, rogue ninjas, and the like outside the village could trigger a Chaos Event.

Otherwise, he wouldn't want to go out on a mission even if they paid him! Wasn't sleeping comfortably at home better?

"What do I have to do to make you let me go? I'm not joking."

Hiruzen Sarutobi became serious as well, and since Torifu's words didn't sound like a child's game, the atmosphere suddenly became very tense.

Chirori tugged on Torifu's sleeve from the side: "Torifu, are you okay? Why do you suddenly want to go on a mission? This involves killing people!"

Torifu simply nodded in response. He had already killed before; once you've done it the first time, it makes no difference whether you kill a lot or a little.

"Don't be nervous, Chirori. I just want to go out and get some training, and Big Brother Hiruzen won't let me get hurt."

Hearing this, Chirori relaxed slightly; she really didn't like the tension from a moment ago.

"Hey, hey, hey! Don't talk as if you're already leaving! I will never agree to this!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's stance was firm. In his eyes, a six-year-old child like Torifu should be protected within the village!

If children were allowed to go out on missions, it would go against the philosophy of the First Hokage! It would be no different from sending children to the battlefield!

"Then how about we have a spar? If my strength can earn your approval, take me with you. If not, I won't pester you again."

Torifu's attitude was resolute, because if he missed this opportunity, he didn't know when the next one would come.

Most of the bandits had already been cleared out, and the ones who had fled to the border of the Land of Fire had gathered a few samurai and ninjas to form a small group.

If this group were wiped out by Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Land of Fire would be very peaceful for a long time to come.

Since missions in other countries could not trigger a Chaos Event, Torikaze had no choice but to be thick-skinned just this once.

Although he couldn't be sure if things would go exactly as he hoped, if he didn't try, there would be absolutely no chance at all.

Torikaze finally understood what it meant to have to do dirty work for a living; of course, the "money" here referred to Calmness Points.

"Huh?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi was a bit bewildered. Why was this kid so persistent? Why go to such lengths just to clear out some bandits? Did he have an enemy among them?

Uchiha Chirori expressed that she had already given up on trying to understand; let him do whatever he wanted, as she no longer wished to be shocked.

She believed it was the sneak attack by Uchiha Setsuna last night that made Torikaze so obsessed with wanting to train!

Otherwise, how could Kumonaka Torikaze, who was usually so laid-back and known as Mr. Calm, act like this?

"I'm asking you, kid, are you serious?"

"Of course, I'm not joking."

Seeing that Hiruzen was truly prepared to go head-to-head with Torikaze, Utatane Koharu spoke up to stop them.

"Hiruzen, why are you messing around with him too! He's still just a child!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled, "Don't worry, Koharu, I won't hurt him."

Unlike Hiruzen Sarutobi's overflowing confidence, Kagami had a faint feeling in his heart that this mission might actually end up with an extra person, and he couldn't help but think to himself.

Hiruzen, don't get careless and flip your boat.