The next morning, Qi Luna arrived at the village gates early. Hayama and Nonō soon joined him, and the three waited eagerly for Teacher Sakumo.
Before long, Sakumo appeared. He looked over the three of them and nodded with satisfaction. "Good. You're all right on time."
"This mission is to travel to a remote village and wipe out the bandits who have been harassing it. Although it's only a C-rank mission, its nature means there will be fighting. During the mission, I won't intervene unless you face a life-or-death crisis, so you'll have to stay alert and exercise caution on your own."
The three answered in unison, "Yes, Teacher!" Then they followed Sakumo and set off.
Along the way, Qi Luna activated the Mind's Eye of the Kagura, taking in the scenery, so different from the Land of Whirlpools. It was his first time leaving Konoha since he'd arrived there.
As they traveled, Hatake Sakumo saw the three gazing at the sights outside the village with wonder. He spoke earnestly. "When you're carrying out a mission, you must stay calm and focused."
"If you run into danger, don't panic. Make a quick assessment and take action."
"Also, pay attention to teamwork. Stay in close communication with your teammates, support each other, and complete the mission together."
"And be observant. Analyze the situation, learn the enemy's strengths and weaknesses, and come up with the best strategy."
"Lastly, don't forget to protect yourselves. You only get one life, and your safety comes first."
The three members of Team Sakumo listened attentively to their teacher's advice, quietly committing each point to memory.
Qi Luna knew that only thorough preparation could bring victory in battle and help them truly grow. After all, even a good-for-nothing like him, who'd spent his previous life slacking off, knew by heart the principle that understanding yourself and your enemy would let you win a hundred battles.
The evening glow spread across the land, gilding Hatake Sakumo and his companions. At last, they reached their destination: a remote, run-down village.
At the village entrance, several ancient trees stood like loyal sentinels, quietly guarding its peace.
Hatake Sakumo stood at the head of the group, his deep-set eyes scanning the surroundings. He brushed the dust off his clothes and said to Qi Luna and the others, "Rest here for a while. I'll go speak with the person who hired us and get the details."
The three nodded. Qi Luna activated the Mind's Eye of the Kagura again to check the area, while Hayama and Yakushi Nonō began replenishing their chakra.
They'd been traveling nonstop all day, from early morning until nearly nightfall, with only two breaks along the way, neither longer than fifteen minutes. They weren't like Hatake Sakumo, an elite jonin, or Qi Luna, who was born with an enormous chakra supply. By now, they were nearly exhausted.
The villagers seemed to have noticed their arrival. A few of the bolder ones slowly came out, curiously sizing up the newcomers.
An elderly villager stepped forward and asked warily, "Are you the ninja who accepted our request and came all the way from Konoha?"
Hatake Sakumo took a step forward and smiled. "That's right, sir. I'm Hatake Sakumo, a Konoha jonin. The other three are my subordinates."
Pain flickered in the old man's eyes, and tears glistened at their corners. He hurriedly said, "Thank goodness you're here at last! Lately, our village has been attacked again and again by the bandits in the mountains behind us. They often come here to loot money and food, and they've even taken the women and children. They took my daughter too... Please, ninja, you have to save them!"
Hatake Sakumo furrowed his brow and nodded. "Don't worry. We'll get to the bottom of this and restore peace to your village."
Night gradually fell, and scattered lights appeared across the village. Hatake Sakumo led the three members of Team Sakumo to the vicinity of the bandits' hideout.
"Just as I said this morning, the three of you will complete this mission on your own. I won't get involved. How you carry it out, when you do it, and how far you go are all up to you."
Without waiting for Qi Luna and the others to respond, Hatake Sakumo used the Body Flicker Technique to leave. In an instant, he vanished from sight.
"Looks like Teacher Sakumo's gone. Qi Luna, why don't you tell us what you think? You're the best of the three of us, both in strength and in other respects. I'm sure Nonō and I would both be happy to follow your lead as acting captain."
Hayama spoke first, his expression serious.
"Yeah, Hayama's right. Qi Luna, tell us your plan and assign us our tasks."
Yakushi Nonō smiled with narrowed eyes.
"You two just want to slack off and avoid having to think. And now you're buttering me up. Coming up with a plan is such a pain."
Qi Luna grumbled casually. Ignoring the two of them, who were snickering behind their hands, he immediately began to think.
It didn't take long for Qi Luna to come up with a straightforward, workable plan.
"It's still early. Let's wait until sometime between three and five tomorrow morning, when people are at their most tired. Nonō, you'll sneak in. I'll keep watch with the Mind's Eye of the Kagura. Once you find where the hostages are being held, signal me by slightly altering the way you circulate your chakra. Then Hayama and I will launch a frontal assault and draw their fire. You just need to protect the hostages. Hayama and I will take care of the rest."
After hearing Qi Luna's instructions, Nonō nodded in agreement.
She specialized in Medical Ninjutsu and the Transparent Escape: Invisibility Technique, so her ability in direct combat was relatively weak. A stealth mission suited her better, and after thinking it over briefly, she readily accepted.
"Hayama, once Nonō sets out, I'll use the Mind's Eye of the Kagura to scout the enemy. I'll point out all their guard posts. Use Wind Release or your swordsmanship to take them out without drawing anyone's attention. After I get Nonō's signal, you and I will charge in together."
Wind Release was invisible and intangible, and his swordsmanship was sharp, making him well suited to assassination missions. Compared to Qi Luna's showy Water Release Ninjutsu, clearing the guard posts was better left to him. Having reached that conclusion, Hayama had no objections to the assignment. "No problem."
Qi Luna nodded at Hayama's response, then began to rest and conserve his strength as he waited for the right moment.
Meanwhile, inside the Hokage Building in Konoha...
"Sarutobi, clashes on the borders of the various nations are growing more frequent. Salamander Hanzo, that ambitious man, has declared war on Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Konoha! The Second Great Ninja War is like an arrow drawn on a full-moon bow. The slightest disturbance could set it off. And at a time like this, you actually agreed to let a kid from the Uzumaki Clan leave the village on a mission. Have you gone senile?!"
Additional note:
A quick explanation about Transparent Escape: in the TV series, young Jiraiya said he could use it. Sarutobi Hiruzen then replied that he'd go with him to peep into the women's bathhouse—cough, I mean, test the technique. So in this story, Transparent Escape is a secret technique, not a Kekkei Genkai.
Before you continue