Too Much of an Honor, Isn't It?

What about Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura? In terms of skill, they were no match for Hiruzen Sarutobi, and in the end, they lost the right to cause trouble, only retaining their status as elders of Konoha.

Even if these two old guys were unwilling, with Hiruzen Sarutobi suppressing them from above and Danzo watching them from the side, they couldn't make a ripple no matter what, so they had no choice but to give up.

Recalling the situation of these two Konoha elders, Kakashi couldn't help but agree with Yun Yan's assessment that he was occupying a position while also causing trouble.

This assessment... is actually quite apt in a certain sense!

After finishing his evaluation and complaints, Yun Yan ignored all the other nonsense and turned to leave. He leaped onto a branch of a large tree nearby, sat down, leaned against the trunk, and closed his eyes to rest.

"Kakashi, if you want to protect this group of Kumogakure envoys, then go ahead and protect them. I don't care."

Although this is the middle of nowhere, and although their camping was quite noisy, I don't think they would encounter any danger.

Among this delegation, even the most ordinary-looking members were Jonin, and Dodai's strength was truly astonishing.

So, the reason they set up camp so ostentatiously is to deliberately assert their presence and to showcase their composure and confidence.

Kakashi, you don't need to play along with their act. Let them rest here. I want to see if anyone dares to mess with them.

Kakashi was truly exasperated by Yun Yan's personality.

"Yun Yan, I know you don't care about these high-sounding principles, but these rules on the surface still need to be followed."

The reason why the Kumogakure delegation set up camp so openly and ostentatiously was to deliberately show that they trusted us; to put it bluntly, they were fearless and had nothing to fear.

I don't think they'd encounter any danger given their strength, nor do I think anyone would be foolish enough to provoke them.

But at least on the surface, our mission is to escort them, even if it's just for show?

"If something unexpected happens and the Kumogakure delegation encounters any trouble, remember this is within the Fire Country. If the situation turns unfavorable, we'll be the ones in the wrong."

Yun Yan, who was sitting on a tree branch leaning against the trunk with his eyes closed, shifted his position slightly, his tone completely indifferent:

"You can worry about it if you want, I'm not going to interfere. I'm just going through the motions with this escort mission."

After saying that, Yun Yan really ignored Kakashi and started to rest on his own.

Seeing him like this, Kakashi sighed helplessly, feeling that he was still the most obedient and honest person.

The problem is that often, it is the obedient and honest people who bear the most burdens and suffer the most losses.

For example, Kakashi right now, even though he knows perfectly well that nothing should happen and that it's all just a formality, he still stands under the tree with his eyes open, not sleeping or resting, diligently protecting this group of Kumogakure envoys.

Three or four days passed in this way, and the Kumogakure delegation and Kakashi Yun Yan spent those three or four days in the same way.

The Kumogakure delegation was alright; they only traveled during the day.

Yun Yan was alright; he was just following the Kumogakure delegation, going through the motions of escorting them, and he could rest at night as usual.

But Kakashi had a tough time. He had to lead the group on their journey during the day and then stay up all night to protect them. It was incredibly exhausting.

After a while, Kakashi couldn't keep up and had to ask Yun Yan to help him share some of the burden.

Seeing how pitiful Kakashi was, and adhering to the principle of not taking too much of his friend's burden, Yun Yan agreed to help share some of the load. He slept less that night and protected Kakashi for a while, allowing Kakashi to rest.

Let me make it clear first, Yun Yan only helped Kakashi with his work at night because he felt sorry for him; he didn't actually intend to protect the Kumogakure delegation.

Regardless, three or four days passed, and the group traveled steadily without any incidents. The Kumogakure delegation was successfully escorted to Konoha by Yun Yan and Kakashi.

When the group arrived at the gates of Konoha, weary from their journey, Yun Yan, Kakashi, and Dodai found that someone was already there to greet them.

As expected, Kakashi had already sent a message to Konoha Village when they were approaching it, and the Konoha's barrier reacted when they got Konoha, so the message was received inside the village.

So it's not surprising that they sent people to the main gate in advance to give a simple welcome.

However, what made Yun Yan and Kakashi feel uneasy was that the two people who came to greet the Kumogakure delegation were so-called heavyweight figures from Konoha.

Yes, it was none other than the two Konoha elders, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, whom Yun Yan had just criticized a few days ago for occupying positions while also causing trouble.

Upon seeing these two old guys, Kakashi and Yun Yan couldn't help but exchange glances, their expressions subtle.

Although the two old guys weren't exactly great people, they were still elders of Konoha. They were capable enough to handle receiving the delegation from Kumogakure, and they wouldn't make any mistakes or be impolite.

And so, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura received the delegation from Kumogakure right in front of Konoha Gate. They exchanged a few warm greetings with the envoy, Dodai, and both sides put on a good show, giving each other plenty of face.

It's just that there aren't many reporters these days; otherwise, this scene would definitely be filled with the clicking of camera flashes, and the three of them would be shaking hands, striking a pose of friendship between the two villages or countries.

Watching the two sides exchange pleasantries, Yun Yan felt increasingly bored.

There was no way around it; he genuinely found these formalistic and pretentious things uninteresting.

They both secretly wished the other dead, yet they had to put on a friendly facade. How hypocritical!

But then again, politics is hypocritical, isn't it?

Or perhaps politics requires this kind of hypocrisy; without this veil of mutual pretense, many things simply cannot proceed.

Yun Yan understood this whole thing, but that was also one of the reasons he hated politics and didn't want to get involved in these conspiracies; his personality meant he was incompatible with such things.

Therefore, Yun Yan observed the entire process coldly without uttering a word.

Thus, under the reception of Elders Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, Dodai led the Kumogakure delegation into Konoha.

They were officially welcomed into Konoha and, led by Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, headed towards the Konoha Hokage Building.

Along the way, this group of Kumogakure ninjas, who made quite a splash, attracted the attention of the common people in Konoha. Many people stood by the roadside, watching this scene and the Kumogakure delegation that had come to negotiate.

At this point, Kakashi and Yun Yan, as Anbu, were no longer conspicuous figures; they could only guard from the shadows and carry out the so-called escort mission to the very end.

Watching this group of people leisurely walk towards the Hokage Building, Yun Yan couldn't help but complain to Kakashi:

"Kakashi, to welcome this delegation from Kumogakure, Sarutobi actually sent these two old guys to personally greet them at the village entrance, and even planned to escort them all the way to the Hokage Building. Isn't that giving them too much face?"

Kakashi turned his head in confusion:

"Are you giving them too much face?"

"Yes, we're giving them too much face, which could inflate the confidence of the Kumogakure delegation and make them think they're really something special."

But you have to understand, this group of Kumogakure envoys clearly didn't come with good intentions.

Shouldn't the proper etiquette be to treat friends with fine wine and wolves with hunting rifles?

"Now that Sarutobi is greeting this group of treacherous individuals with such high standards and kindness, it makes us seem a little guilty, doesn't it? It feels like Konoha is deliberately trying to please them."

Kakashi hadn't thought that way before, but after Yun Yan said that, Kakashi actually had that feeling.

Looking down more closely, he saw two Konoha elders personally greeting him, Konoha lining the streets to welcome him. It really did have a... fawning and flattering feel to it.

How could this be? What's with this feeling? This feeling is making me feel... vaguely frustrated and annoyed.