Rice Field Country Princess

Amada walked at the very back of the caravan; although he did not participate in their conversation, he remained constantly vigilant in his heart.

He knew that the calmer the surface appeared, the more likely it was to conceal danger.

By the third day, the caravan entered a dense forest.

However, Amada suddenly sensed that something was wrong.

"It's too quiet..."

He muttered in a low voice, his gaze scanning the surroundings with wariness.

The chirping of birds and the buzzing of insects in the forest had completely vanished, and a stifling atmosphere permeated the air.

Amada knew that such abnormal silence often signaled the approach of danger.

He quickened his pace to the side of Kushina's carriage and whispered:

"Teacher, the situation is off. It's too quiet around here; there might be an ambush."

Upon hearing this, Kushina immediately became alert.

Kushina quickly issued her orders:

"Asuma, Amada, focus on defense! Kurenai, stay close and protect Miss Tachibana!"

No sooner had her voice fallen than a barrage of shuriken shot out from the woods on both sides of the road, heading straight for the caravan.

Asuma and Amada reacted swiftly, leaping to either side of the formation.

Wielding their kunai and chakra blades, they deflected the majority of the shuriken.

The sounds of metal clashing rang out one after another, sending sparks flying in every direction.

Kurenai quickly jumped into Miss Tachibana's carriage, shielding the young girl behind her.

Although Miss Tachibana was somewhat panicked, she calmed down quickly under Kurenai's reassurance.

Kushina swept her gaze across the forest and then charged in without a moment's hesitation.

Immediately following, a series of intense weapon clashes and the roar of ninjutsu explosions erupted from deep within the woods.

Before long, the sounds of fighting in the forest gradually subsided.

Then, Kushina emerged from the trees, dragging two figures clad in black.

There was not a single scratch on her, yet her eyes held a hint of regret.

"A pity, one got away."

Kushina tossed the two men in black onto the ground, her tone tinged with helplessness.

"Still, these two should be able to tell us something."

She crouched down, preparing to interrogate the men in black.

However, the two of them bit down on the poison hidden in their mouths without the slightest hesitation.

Their bodies convulsed violently, and then they completely lost all signs of life.

Asuma and Kurenai were stunned into silence at the sight.

Although they were already ninjas, witnessing enemies choose suicide without a second thought still sent a shiver of dread through them.

"Is... is this what it means to be a ninja?"

Asuma muttered in a low voice, his tone filled with disbelief.

Kurenai also furrowed her brows, a complex emotion flashing through her eyes:

"To abandon one's own life without hesitation for the sake of a mission... is this the resolve of a ninja?"

Kushina stood up, her tone heavy:

"This is the world of ninjas. Their resolve is worthy of respect."

Amada's heart, however, was filled with doubt.

As he followed behind the group, he pondered to himself:

"Miss Tachibana is merely a merchant's daughter; why would ninjas come to assassinate her?"

He hurried to Kushina's side and asked in a low voice:

"Teacher, I have some doubts. Miss Tachibana is just a merchant's daughter; why would she attract an assassination attempt by ninjas? This seems to exceed the scope of a C-rank mission."

Kushina glanced at Amada upon hearing this, her tone indifferent:

"Amada, don't overthink it. A C-rank mission is defined by the possibility of encountering genin-level combat, but it will not involve enemies above the level of chunin. As long as the enemy's strength remains within this range, the mission rank will not be elevated. As for Miss Tachibana's identity... that is not something we need to concern ourselves with."

Amada nodded, but the doubt in his heart did not fully dissipate.

He knew that while Kushina's words were logical, Miss Tachibana's identity was clearly not as simple as it appeared on the surface.

However, since Kushina was unwilling to say more, he found it difficult to press the issue.

At the same time, the genin who had escaped had already fled to a hidden stronghold.

He knelt before a middle-aged man who appeared kind-hearted, his face full of guilt and terror:

"Apologies, my lord, the mission failed. Among those protecting Princess Tachibana was a Jonin; we were simply no match for them."

The middle-aged man's brows furrowed slightly upon hearing this:

"A Jonin? No wonder you failed. It seems Konoha places great importance on this mission."

He pondered for a moment, then waved his hand, his tone calm:

"Forget it, ignore this matter for now. Go back and tend to your wounds; I will arrange the next steps."

The Genin bowed hurriedly and retreated.

The middle-aged man stood where he was, murmuring to himself:

"Tachibana... why did you have to come back?"

On the other side, Amada and his group finally arrived at the Rice Field Country.

When Amada's party stepped into the main city of the Rice Field Country, the sight before them forced them to stop in their tracks.

Surrounding the main city were vast stretches of golden rice paddies, the grain already ripe.

The heavy ears of rice swayed gently in the breeze, resembling a golden ocean.

The air was filled with the fragrant scent of grain, making one feel refreshed and relaxed.

Kushina looked at the scene before her, her tone carrying a hint of emotion:

"This is the origin of the Rice Field Country's name. It is an agricultural nation, famous for its abundant grain production. The reason the Land of Fire protects it is precisely because grain is a hard currency, tied to the lifeblood of a nation."

Amada nodded, pondering to himself:

"No wonder Danzo would be interested in this place. The importance of grain is truly not to be underestimated."

However, their thoughts were soon interrupted by the scene before them.

Just as they entered the main city, they saw a large crowd standing neatly on both sides of the road, led by a man dressed in fine robes.

Upon seeing Princess Tachibana's carriage, he immediately led everyone in kneeling, shouting loudly:

"Welcome home, Princess Tachibana!"

Asuma's eyes widened upon hearing this, and he couldn't help but exclaim:

"Miss Tachibana is a princess?"

Kurenai was also somewhat surprised, whispering:

"No wonder there were ninjas sent to assassinate her; her identity is not simple at all."

Amada looked at Kushina and noticed there was not a hint of surprise on her face, clearly indicating she had known Princess Tachibana's true identity all along.

He realized instantly that this mission was far from as simple as it appeared on the surface.

In front of the palace gates of the Rice Field Country, Amada and his group were respectfully escorted into the city.

Passing through a long corridor, they arrived at a spacious and ornate living room.

In the center of the room sat a slightly portly middle-aged man with a kind smile on his face.

It was the Daimyo of the Rice Field Country.

Princess Tachibana stood beside the Daimyo, a trace of shyness and apology on her face.

Her gaze swept over Amada and the others, and she nodded slightly in greeting.

On the other side of the Daimyo stood another middle-aged man who bore a slight resemblance to him, his expression serious, his eyes filled with a hint of scrutiny.

Seeing them enter, the Daimyo smiled and waved his hand, gesturing for them to sit:

"Ninjas of Konoha, welcome to the Rice Field Country. Please, sit; there is no need for formality."

After bowing respectfully, Amada and the others sat down in turn.

As the team leader and Jonin, Kushina spoke first:

"Lord Daimyo, thank you for your hospitality. We have merely fulfilled our duty; we do not deserve such generous treatment."