Daylight Again

I followed Shiyan the whole way. After walking for dozens of minutes, we finally reached a bend where I could see sunlight filtering down from above.

"Up you go."

Shiyan pressed a button on the wall. Then something like an elevator descended. Once I stepped onto it, it carried me straight upward, shooting toward the surface!

When I was bathed in the glaring sunlight, I was astonished to find that I had appeared at the top of a mountain! The vast Military Headquarters base lay beneath my feet!

So I hadn't been underground at all. I'd been inside a mountain!

Military Headquarters sure had some serious resources!

"Keep moving. Lord Orochimaru is already waiting for us." After saying that, Shiyan walked off without looking back, and I could only do my best to keep up.

As soon as we entered the familiar forest, I broke into a run, heading for the West Training Ground.

Just as I was running at full speed, a flurry of footsteps suddenly approached from my side. Before I could react, a figure sprang at me and tackled me to the ground!

The collision left me seeing stars. I'd even drawn half of Murasame before I realized the familiar person on top of me was—

Kusama Shigeo grinned down at me, looking like a smug little brat who'd gotten his way.

"I caught you!"

"Are you crazy? Get off me!" I rolled over and flipped him away. After dusting off my clothes for ages and restraining myself for a good while, I finally swore under my breath and sheathed my sword!

I'd barely stepped outside before running into this walking bad omen. I should've just cut him down!

"Where have you been these past few days?" Kusama Shigeo seemed full of energy. "I went to your place to look for you so many times. I thought you were dead!"

"Don't worry. Even though you're a medical ninja, I definitely won't die before you do." I rolled my eyes and folded my arms, taunting him. "What did you want me for? Haven't you had enough of getting beaten up?"

"We're rivals, aren't we? If we don't fight to the death, wouldn't that make us a pretty poor excuse for rivals?" Kusama Shigeo shot back. He stared at me, stepped closer, and bent toward me, getting close enough to seem threatening.

He was already a little taller than me, and now I felt like I was the one at a disadvantage.

Normally, I might have snapped back at him, but I couldn't be bothered now. I simply brushed past him.

"I don't have time for you. I've got a mission to carry out."

"Do you think Teacher Orochimaru would send his two disciples on separate missions?" Kusama Shigeo stuck to me like a piece of gum. "I suggest you give in sooner rather than later. We're already on the same team. Show me some respect. It'll do you nothing but good."

I frowned, feeling another headache coming on.

I really didn't understand why Kusama Shigeo was always trying to get the upper hand over me. It was as if he'd held a grudge against me from the moment he first saw me. It made no sense.

And it wasn't just me. He treated Kuixing the same way.

I frowned and wondered: Could it be that he actually hates the Uchiha Clan?

But what had our clan ever done to him?

Forget it. Why should I care what he thinks?

With people like Kusama Shigeo, the more you argue, the more excited they get. It was better to ignore him.

I said nothing and sped up toward the West Training Ground.

"Hey, wait!" Sure enough, after a brief moment of surprise, he chased after me.

When I finally reached the West Training Ground, I was astonished to find that there were even more people in this force than there had been last time!

Good grief, this was a major mission!

I was carefully observing the people in the group, trying to spot any familiar faces, when someone called out to me.

"Akatsuki, over here."

I looked up and saw Teacher Orochimaru wearing his black travel cloak again. He beckoned me over.

I walked up to him. He looked down at my face, then suddenly chuckled hoarsely and asked, "You've recovered nicely. Have you eaten your fill?"

At those words, my heart clenched!

How did he know I'd snuck some of his food?! QAQ

Fortunately, Teacher was only joking. Shiyan stood beside him, the two of them close together, as if they'd just been talking.

"My lord, the team is assembled," Shiyan said as soon as he saw us arrive. "You may give the order."

Orochimaru nodded, swept his gaze over the group, then called out:

"Akatsuki and Shigeo will stay behind. Everyone else, follow the orders I gave last night and head to the Land of Rain border to wait. I'll join you shortly."

Huh? We weren't going together?

"Teacher, aren't we going together?" I watched as our teammates, who looked like Black Swallows, scattered in an instant and vanished without a trace. I was puzzled, and Kusama Shigeo looked confused too.

"Your mission isn't in the Land of Rain." Orochimaru smiled, then took something out of his coat and unfolded it. It was a scroll. The intricate lines drawn on it told me it was a map.

"Then where are we going?" I blinked.

"Heh... you two..." Orochimaru motioned us closer, looking inscrutable.

"You're going to make a trip to Kirigakure for me."

Kirigakure? I froze.

The Land of Water's... Kirigakure?

My eyes flickered as I recalled what I'd read in my books.

"A ninja village deep in the mountains, its territory shrouded in mist year-round and completely isolated from the other nations."

Kirigakure, the so-called most mysterious ninja village.

It was a long way away. We'd have to cross the Land of Fire and then traverse the sea.

And... I frowned and hesitated. "Teacher, Kirigakure—we're still at war with them, aren't we?"

"There have only been a few minor skirmishes." Orochimaru pressed down on my shoulder and pointed to the map. "I want you to go to Snow One Village, south of Kirigakure, and bring back a child for me."

"What?" I froze. "Bring back a child?"

"Teacher, what do you mean?"

"I need you to go to Snow One Village and bring back a young child. It's as simple as that."

He looked at me and repeated himself without dodging the question.

"As for why you're bringing the child back, and what you'll do with them afterward, that's not something you need to worry about."

I frowned and lowered my head, my heart clenching again.

Bring back a child? What did that mean? What was Teacher planning to do?

No matter how I looked at it, it couldn't be anything good.

"Teacher, is this an order?" I asked. "Are you coming with us?"

"It's not just an order. You'd be doing me a favor." Orochimaru said, "I have more important things to do, so I can't go with you."

My heart sank as I considered whether the mission was even possible.

There were countless difficulties. First, we'd have to cross the sea between the two countries. Whether we went by boat or tried to travel over the water using chakra, it would be dangerous. The waves were one thing; the real problem was the enemy on the shore. Kusama Shigeo and I were both Genin. There was no way we could face them head-on. We'd have to avoid them and sneak into the Land of Water. That alone would be incredibly difficult.

Second, entering the strange village of Snow One, so close to Kirigakure, would be dangerous in itself. If a large-scale battle broke out, it would surely draw Kirigakure's ninja. Then we'd be in trouble—and whether we could even make it back would be anyone's guess!

Third, even if we found the child, bringing them back unharmed would be a challenge. The return trip would be even more perilous than the journey there. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a near-certain death mission!

Was Teacher really not joking?

Or was he using this mission to test our courage?

"Hey, hey, what are you hesitating for? Don't tell me you're afraid to take on our first independent mission!" Before I could sort through my thoughts, Kusama Shigeo was already starting to taunt me.

"It's just a matter of going to a neighboring country and bringing back a kid. What are you afraid of?" He looked at me sidelong, smug as could be. "Or did you inherit the Uchiha Clan's cowardly, weak-willed nature? Are you too scared to carry out an order from your superior?"

"If you don't even have that much courage, you might as well go home and play house with your little brother!"

Damn it, he could insult me all he wanted, but what was he dragging Itachi into this for?

A nameless surge of anger welled up inside me. I immediately shot back, "I don't know where you heard that the Uchiha Clan is cowardly and weak-willed. But since you lost to someone like me, doesn't that prove the Kusama Clan is useless?"

"You!"

The instant I said that, Kusama Shigeo's eyes reddened. I hadn't expected my words to hit such a nerve—enough to make him attack me even with Teacher standing right there!

I dodged his punch, then his kick. Just as I was about to counterattack, Orochimaru grabbed him.

Teacher's voice was hoarse but perfectly clear, carrying an authority no one could resist.

"If you continue arguing, I'll consider you to have forfeited this mission."

The words silenced everyone.

"Don't worry. I'm not asking you to bring the child back because I intend to do anything to them." Seeing my resistance, Orochimaru actually explained.

"Because of Kirigakure's Blood Mist Policy, people with Kekkei Genkai in the Land of Water have been slaughtered on a massive scale. The ones left are either those who escaped the Land of Water or children who are still too young to have awakened their Kekkei Genkai. But if they're allowed to keep growing, they'll awaken their bloodlines one day, and their eventual fate will still be death."

"So what I'm really asking you to do is go there and save someone."

Orochimaru smiled and spoke plainly.

"No matter what they face after coming back, it'll be better than staying in the Land of Water, won't it?"

So that was it!

I lowered my head. I felt a little relieved, but even more uneasy!

Because this mission really was too difficult!

"If you have no objections, gather what you need and set off now."

I'd still wanted to argue, but seeing Teacher Orochimaru give the order without hesitation, I knew he was serious.

I gave a bitter smile. It all seemed absurd, yet somehow real.

Everyone else's first mission was to catch a kitten, find a puppy, pull weeds, or water the fields.

And me?

I freaking had to go into an enemy ninja village to find someone!

This wasn't just hard mode. It was hell mode!

Could I really make it back alive from a mission this difficult?

"Teacher, Teacher!"

Kusama Shigeo, on the other hand, got excited. He came closer and said, "Teacher, since there are only two of us, who's in charge? We need a team leader!"

At a time like this, Kusama Shigeo still had to compete over who was superior. I could hardly help laughing at him.

"Right, we do need a team leader." Orochimaru seemed to agree. He patted Kusama Shigeo on the head and smiled. "In that case, I'll appoint someone to be your temporary leader."

His words brought every voice to a halt.

I looked up in surprise, only to hear footsteps coming from behind me.

Light, steady, and yet unhurried.

The pace was neither too quick nor too slow, almost like a particular kind of step—something between stillness and movement.

I turned around and my eyes widened.