"Now that things have come to this, there's no point dwelling on what feels wrong."
Orochimaru looked at the two of them. "Let's set out at once. The village is taking this incident very seriously, so we must treat it accordingly."
"Right."
Sakuya and Tsunade nodded.
Konoha might appear to have sent only three people, but the team's strength told a different story.
Sakuya was the Uchiha Clan's greatest prodigy of his generation, with his Three-Tomoe Sharingan awakened; he was one of Konoha's top fighters. Tsunade was the last descendant of the Senju Clan and a strong contender for Fourth Hokage, while Orochimaru was the Third's prized student and the foremost of the civilian-born ninja.
The three of them together could easily sweep through a small hidden village. Sending them to deal with a band of rogue ninja was overkill, making it clear just how furious the Third was about the attack on the Sugar Refinery in the Land of Fang.
"All right, it's getting late. Let's get ready to go."
Orochimaru said, "The Land of Fang is five days from Konoha. At our pace, we'll get there in just over four."
"I remember it's to the west."
Tsunade pointed west. "Near the Land of Rain, the Land of Claw, and the Land of River. It's in a low-lying area."
"Exactly. That low-lying terrain makes it ideal for sugar production."
Sakuya nodded.
In other words, it was what people called a strategically contested region.
He thought to himself.
The three were just about to set out when a hurried voice called from behind them.
"Big sister! Big sister! Wait for me!"
Tsunade turned at the sound and saw a familiar figure running out of the village.
"...Huh? Nawaki? What are you doing here?"
Recognizing her younger brother, Tsunade asked in confusion.
Sakuya took the opportunity to look him over.
He appeared to be about twelve, roughly a year younger than Sakuya. His short, tousled hair was ash blond, and he wore a Konoha Forehead Protector. His face was still youthful, with the innocence of someone who had yet to see much of the world.
"Big sister!"
Nawaki ran up to them, braced his hands on his knees, and panted heavily. "Are you going to the Land of Fang? Grandma told me all about it!"
"So?"
Tsunade asked, puzzled.
"I'm going too!"
Staring at Tsunade, Nawaki said earnestly, "I'm going to the Land of Fang too!"
"?"
"Big sister, Grandma Toka came to our house just now."
Nawaki said, "Do you remember her grandson, Uncle Shota? He was always so nice to me."
Toka Senju—or rather, the woman once known as Toka Senju—had been the clan leader Hashirama Senju's most trusted aide before the hidden villages were established. Back when the Senju Clan still stood, her status had been second only to the Senju brothers. She had been one of the clan's three most important figures.
But the old woman had lived a lonely life. Some of her descendants had died, others had drifted away, and now, in her seventies, she had only one grandson left: Shota Senju, as he had been called back when the Senju Clan still existed.
"...Shota?"
Tsunade seemed to remember something, and her face paled.
Because he was Toka Senju's grandson, the village had always looked out for him, even though he was in his thirties and still only a Chunin. They had even arranged a cushy post for him.
That meant serving as a squad leader at the harbor of the sugar factory in the Land of Fang.
To be fair, it was one of the posts closest to Konoha. He could come home whenever he wanted, the workload wasn't heavy, and being near the sugar factory made it easy to earn a little extra money. It was a pretty good position.
But who could have expected a band of rogue ninja to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and launch a surprise attack on the factory?
According to the report, one of the two missing Chunin from the harbor was Shota.
"Big sister, I'm going to the Land of Fang too!"
Nawaki stared at his sister and said earnestly, "Uncle Shota has always been so good to us. He's one of the few family we have. Now he's missing after being attacked, and you expect me to sit at home and wait for news? I can't do that! Big sister, Sensei Orochimaru, let me go to the Land of Fang too!"
"No!"
Tsunade immediately refused. "You're staying home!"
They didn't know how dangerous this mission would be, and Tsunade instinctively didn't want her younger brother coming along to the Land of Fang.
"But Grandpa Third already agreed!"
Nawaki knew Tsunade would refuse, so he immediately pulled out a mission scroll. "Look for yourself!"
"It's written by Sensei."
Orochimaru took the scroll, glanced over it, then nodded with a smile. "Looks like Sensei changed his mind. He thinks it's just a bunch of reckless rogue ninja."
He knew his teacher well.
When the harbor in the Land of Fang had first been attacked by rogue ninja, Hiruzen Sarutobi must have been furious. He had sent the three of them, powerful ninja that they were, to crush the rogues with overwhelming force.
But after reading the Intelligence Division's report and learning they might be nothing more than a disorganized rabble, he had changed his mind. He now saw the mission in the Land of Fang as a chance to train the younger generation of ninja.
Nawaki had happened to volunteer after hearing about Shota's disappearance, so Hiruzen had simply gone along with it and agreed to let him join the mission.
After all, Nawaki was Hashirama Senju's grandson. If there was ever to be a Fifth Hokage, he'd be one of the strongest candidates. It made sense to take this opportunity to train him.
Still, Sensei, you really do have a knack for these little schemes. Heh. So awkward, yet so easy to read.
Orochimaru chuckled inwardly and looked at Tsunade. "Since Sensei has approved it, let Nawaki come with us."
"But..."
Tsunade still didn't want her brother to come along.
Perhaps it was a woman's intuition, but she had a feeling that if Nawaki came, something terrible would happen to him.
``` [The attack on the Land of Fang has drawn Konoha's attention. The Third has decided to send your team of three to eliminate the rogue ninja. Since the mission's danger level is unknown and Tsunade's younger brother, Nawaki, has requested to join, the team is divided over whether to let him come along.]
[Looking at Orochimaru and Tsunade, you have a premonition that whether Nawaki goes to the Land of Fang will have a profound impact on the outcome of this simulation. Your choice is...]
If I remember correctly, Nawaki died on some unknown mission in the original story, didn't he?
Sakuya pondered the system's prompt.
Could this be that mission in the Land of Fang?
Then...
"Let him come with us."
Sakuya spoke up as the other two continued to disagree.
"Hm?"
Orochimaru and Tsunade turned to him, looking surprised.
"Sakuya, you mean..."
"The Hokage has agreed to let him come along for training, so let him come."
Uchiha Sakuya glanced at Nawaki.
"Besides, he's the First's grandson. At least he'll be safer with us. If we don't let this stubborn kid come openly, he'll probably follow us in secret. Then he'd be alone if he got into trouble, which would be even harder to deal with."
Nawaki stared at Sakuya in astonishment.
He had never expected someone from the Uchiha Clan to speak up for him.
To speak up for him, a member of the Senju Clan.
Before you continue